Don't Forget
by Vampire-princess14899
Summary: After losing the love of his life, Jonathan Greenfield had no idea how to live. It wasn't until he found her again that his heart began to thaw. But hidden between them all are secrets-lies that threaten to tear everything a part. Book 4 of desire series.
1. Preface

Preface

Claire stood over their bodies, glancing over their perfect features. This was the last time she was ever going to see their faces, and yet, she found no remorse or even a twinge of sadness. She knew that she should-any being should regret killing, but she couldn't bring herself to feel any type of guilt. There was just nothing left to feel.

They had been her family. She had traveled hundreds of years with them, grown bonds, and shared everything with them. Now they were all dead. Claire had warned them about the mistakes they were about to make, that they were no match for her power. They still didn't believe and in the end she had betrayed them all.

And Claire had loved one of them with all her soul. She leaned down next to him, pushing his blonde hair from his eyes. She rested her hand on his cheek, wanting to feel some sort of sorrow for his death, but there was nothing in her heart to feel. Claire had loved this man. He had made her laugh, he gave her comfort, made her life have meaning, and now he was dead. They all were dead. And she had killed them all-her family, her soul mate, the people she once cared about, but she didn't feel the guilt that should have been crushing her heart.

In fact, she was happy they all were dead.


	2. Chapter 1: Easy

Easy

"Pink." Cody Evans said with a faint hint of disgust and amusement in his velvet voice. "Of all the colors in the world, you chose to dye your hair pink." He pinched a lock of her hair in his fingers as it blew in the wind.

Amber Bay knocked his hand away from her head. "It's not pink." She pulled her hand through her hair, which now was cropped up to her ears. "It's red at the top and orange near the bottom, underneath the layers, stupid. You'd think a vampire with suck keen sight could see that." Amber said defensively.

For a moment she thought of why she did this in the first place. It wasn't that hard to figure out really. She hated looking at herself in the mirror, seeing the girl that had left _him_, seeing the girl he used to love. She thought it she changed her appearance that maybe it would hurt just a fraction less. If anything it hurt worse since every time she saw herself now, she thought of why she changed her look in the first place.

"Ah so it's for Jonathan is it?" Cody said softly, keeping in stride with her as she walked across the campus of Purdue University. "It has always been about that boy."

"No." Amber snapped a little too quickly, bring a smile from Cody. He obviously was satisfied with her pain. In fact it looked like it gave him joy, but that was no surprise to her. Ever since he intruded at Kenton Ridge High School five years ago, Amber knew that he reveled in any pain of sorrow. It seemed like it kept him alive somehow. "I did this for me. I need a change. Is that a crime?"

"Why do you keep lying to yourself? You can admit that you still love the boy."

Amber looked away from Cody's face, feeling her face flush and tears sting her eyes. She fought desperately to keep them back. After five years of controlling her emotions she was able to stop the tears and put on a passive face. "There's no point because I'll never see him again."

"Oh how right you are, my dear." Cody slid his arm around her shoulder, making curious students glance at her with hatred.

She sighed. Her reputation here was famous. Of course it followed her wherever she went. Amber wasn't strong enough to stop the addiction, nor did she really even want to. Drugs, like before her mom died, made her feel safe. They let her forget about the hurt for a while so she could relax and see the world in a new light. The drugs, as she found out again, were very expensive and seeing as she didn't have a job anymore, she had to find a way to make money. This was where her life became worse. To make money for the drugs she sold her body. Amber entered prostitution willingly. At first she could understand how _he_ could not give up the sex with so many girls, but after it while it began to be routine and she began to truly hate her life.

Amber went through hospitals, rehabs, isolation and even went to jail a few times for her obsession. She would get clean for a month at the place but the night they let her out, she went straight to the alleys she knew best and purchased whatever she could with the little money she had. She remembered the fear of getting pregnant. She pictured an image of _his_ mother, how she died because of his birth. Amber didn't want to die like that so she went to the hospital and made sure she could never have children.

There was no one she could have them with anyway. She didn't want some man's one night stand baby and there was no way she could ever fall in love again. She could hardly stand looking at herself; who would look at her like _he_ used to?

It was a year and two months after she left Ohio and began the drugs that she saw how fast her body was deteriorating. She had lost entirely too much weight, there were dark circles under her eyes, and she felt so weak that some days she never got out of bed. Amber had never felt so helpless in her life, but for some reason she didn't stop what she was doing. When she was high, she forgot anything that had once caused her pain. She dreamed of _him_, of how their life would have ended if Cody hadn't of caused her to leave. She didn't really regret leaving other than how her life was now. As long as Cody didn't kill _him_ and _he_ was still alive and healthy, she would still make the same decision over and over again.

"Forget about them, love. They're jealous of your beauty." Cody said, holding her closer.

Amber shoved away from him. "Don't call me that." She wanted to snort at him for saying she was beautiful. No one had called her that in a while-not since _him_ anyway. She hasn't been beautiful for a long time and she was sure she never would be again.

"I'll call you whatever I want." He threatened. "Or else."

"That's not part of the deal." She said, agitated. She was tired of Cody's games. But it seemed like after all this time he wasn't done playing.

"My games, my rules." He said, probing her mind of her thoughts. It angered her every time he entered her mind. She wished she could somehow shut down, put a wall in her mind and keep him out. But she had no powers which meant that there was no escaping his constant vigilance.

This brought something to her attention. "Why are you here?" Cody had never stayed with her for this long. He would pop in for a few hours, sometimes while she was "working" and paid her for whatever she could give him. That's probably what disgusted her the most about Cody. He was a monster. He took whatever he wanted.

"Am I not allowed to visit?"

"No."

Cody laughed, bells echoing through her ears. "Still as feisty as ever. You never lost your spunk, Amber. I like that."

"Go to Hell." That was another thing that had changed about her, she noticed. She remembered that she didn't like to curse, but she now found herself cursing all the time, even when it wasn't needed.

"I just wanted to keep an eye on you is all." he said innocently.

"Cody, it's been five years. I haven't tried to go back yet. You and I both know that I'm never going back." Amber admitted sadly, pushing some hair behind her ears.

Amber walked up the stairs to her History class. She had only been here a few months since first starting this college and she still felt the same nervousness when she took her seat every day. Her grades weren't good, but they weren't bad either. She knew she could never play volleyball again like she used to in high school. Her life was almost over anyway. The only reason she went to college now was that Cody agreed he would pay for it and she thought it would take her mind off of _him. _It had worked because she was too stressed about work to even think of her old life.

"I'll be waiting for you when you get out." Cody let go of her hand as she opened the door.

Of course you will be, she thought. She wondered about her chances of slipping through the bathroom window and then darting to her dorm room, but she knew that Cody would catch her before she even thought of how she would do it. He was smart like that. Of course anyone who could read minds would be smart like that.

As she took her seat in the back like normal, she put on her passive face again. To everyone else it would look like her life was easy, that she had no problem doing what she was doing. To them it would seem like she knew what she was doing and she liked every part of it. But nothing was easy to her anymore. Not one aspect of her life made it easy. It seemed like everything she did made it harder for herself. But she didn't let it show. She lied to herself by saying that it was easy to move on from _him_, when no one but Cody knew how hard it was. She was sure _he_ hated her by now which almost made it easier, but not really.

Her heart broke as she pictured _his _face.

_Jonathan._

She cried silently in the back of the class and went straight to the bathroom after to clean up her face. She was sure Cody knew that she had cried, but she was not going to show weakness because of it. She wasn't going to show him anything. Not anymore.


	3. Chapter 2: Moving on

2. Moving on

_Jonathan._

My eyes bolted open in French class. That voice. That sweet voice. I knew that voice anywhere. But as soon as it echoed through my mind and I waited for it to sound again, I realized it wasn't coming back. I sighed loudly, forgetting I was in a room full of other seniors who looked sharply at me when I made the noise.

"Sorry." I apologized quickly to Mr. Noyes.

It was amazing how five years could pass and I could still hurt so much over one sound. After Amber left that first day I swore I could hear her voice in my head like I used to during strange times. I figured out that it was only when she was stressed or we were both in strange predicaments. Which is exactly what we were in whenever I heard her voice-A sandy blonde girl, whom I guessed was my mom, fighting Cody when he about killed me. Or I guess he did kill me which is now why I don't have any human in me anymore. It happened when I tried to kill myself, her voice ringing through my ears almost like she was right next to me, begging me not to do this. And then after she left I didn't hear her talking to me, but I heard her crying and her sorrow in her head.

Has five years really gone by so fast? Or rather I guess it's gone too slowly for me, I'm just always too out of it to notice. I lived with my family for the first year and a half. I tried so hard to be normal, to get over her. I had no clue how Jason did it. Maybe it was because he knew Claire loved him and that she died for me. She never left him.

Amber left me.

I remember those first few weeks like yesterday. I did things that I never did before I met Amber. I grabbed any girl's hand I could find, put them in a room and welcomed anyone who wanted entrance. I made love to so many girls that first week. By the time it was Friday I felt so disgusting and low that suicide entered my head, but I knew Amber wouldn't be here to save me this time. The rest of the time I spent with my family was the hardest because I knew it was my fault that Amber was gone and I could see it in their eyes.

So after that year and a half I packed my bags, said it was nothing personal and that I just needed to get away. I told them I couldn't take it anymore. I told them almost what Amber said to me. They didn't put up a fight. They told me I had a home wherever they were, but I didn't tell them I didn't plan on coming back. Sure, I've called them a few times to let them know I was alright, but I haven't seen any of my family since I've left. And it still bothers me more than I let on.

At first it was terrible. It was easy enough to find an apartment with the money Syd shoved down my pocket when I refused it before I left. But it wasn't enough to live on so I had to get a job, something I didn't feel like doing. Doing anything reminded me of Amber, sending spasms of pain through my chest where my heart used to be. Until she took it with her.

It took a while to get in some sort of grove. I got a job at McDonalds easy enough and though it was too easy for me, I dreaded work every day. It got bad enough where I would shout at coworkers and throw food. I quit before they could fire me. It all went downhill from there. I dropped out of every school for one year straight. I quit every job that I got. I never stayed in one place for more than a week so I just ended up getting a hotel room instead of buying an apartment. They day I looked in the mirror at the Speedway Gas station I decided I wasn't going to do it anymore. I was never a quitter in high school and I didn't want to be anymore. That's when things started to curve up and straightened out. I enrolled at Xavier High School about two and a half years ago and from then on at this school, I felt better than I had in years.

Xavier was in Manhattan, New York. It's an all guy school, which killed me at first, but I got over it once I realized that it was better for me this way. Every time I saw a girl I was immediately reminded of Amber no matter what she looked like and this way I was able to get through an hour without her passing through my mind. It was founded in 1847 for the College of St. Francis Xavier, but now it was a college prep school. Naturally I choose a Catholic school that has no girls. Everyone knows the reputation of catholic girls. But I quickly got over that too, remembering that first week and found myself disgusted every time I thought of a girl.

Where was I? Oh right. My groove. I tried really hard at this school to keep myself in check and found it almost a challenge. All the other high schools I had gone to didn't compare to this. It wasn't hard-not in the least bit for me anyway. But they pushed each guy here, making sure he had what he needed to survive college. I came in as a sophomore and dove head first into my classes. I made friends over the years and sometimes I forgot I wasn't human when I was with them. Now I made it through all those years of suffering and pain and I was at the top of my game.

I had finally found my groove. I had a job, I was at the top of my class, and I had a good apartment where I could be me. I had felt like I had moved on from Amber finally. I thought about seeing other girls and maybe falling in love with another girl not that I had grown up some. I'm not that same boy from Kenton Ridge. I was different.

It's funny how hearing my name in my head shattered that beautiful illusion. I _thought_ I had moved on, but now I just took myself out of the temptation of moving on. I surrounded myself with guy friends and took myself from the pain temporarily. Now that I had a full blast from the past with Amber's voce in my head I felt my will crumble.

I glanced up at the clock on the wall. Five minutes until I got out of here and went home for the day. And do what? Sit on the bed and sulk in my own self pity? No I guess I wouldn't. It didn't hurt as badly this time. Maybe I really _was_ moving on and this was the first step. Of course nothing could really change how I felt about Amber.

Five years and I was still in love with her.

And that didn't bother me in the least.

The bell rang causing the student in my room to stir. I grabbed my books and left the room with them, trying to act like everything was okay, which was easier than I thought it would be. Randy Miles was waiting outside the door for me, a crooked smile on his lips. I smiled as I saw him. Out of all the friends I had made here at Xavier, I found to like Randy the most. I didn't know if it was because he reminded me of Liam Hart from Kenton Ridge or if it was just because he was so easy going and so likable.

"So Lacey and I kissed last night." Randy said as we past hundreds of moving bodies in the hall and had to wait a few minutes just to open our lockers which happened to be right next to each other. Normally this wouldn't have been a bid deal except Randy had been dating a girl named Lacey for about a month.

I chuckled under my breath, elbowing him in the side. "If Lacey had known how long it would have taken you to get the guts to kiss her for the first time, she might not have bothered."

Randy laughed. "I wanted to kiss her the first night. Blame her for waiting so long."

"Maybe she was afraid you had bad breath." I teased, finally opening my locker. I shoved my books I didn't need into the back and slid my Calculus homework, my French homework, and my English draft into my book bag. "Doing anything tonight?" I asked him, feeling the urge to not be alone tonight.

"Nope. Lacey's sick. Why?"

"River Court?"

"You have to ask?"

The River Court was located at the Hudson River Park. It was a small basketball court just past a few small trees and the kids play ground. The ground was rocky with plants sprouting up through the concrete. The basketball hoops were old and threatened to collapse at any moment. There were no nets around the hoops unless you counted the spider webs. It used to be a big hang out, randy once told me the first time he brought me here. Now it was deserted since the shoot out about ten years ago. We were the only two people who ever came to this place anymore.

"Come on, Greenfield." Randy challenged, throwing me the basketball out of his car. "Let's see what you've got."

Randy was an amusing sport. I beat him every time we were out here, but he still wanted to play more. Sometimes I would tease him into thinking he was winning, but I usually only did that for a few minutes. Then I scored one after another.

The feel of the ball in my hands soothed me. I dropped low, dribbling the ball between my legs. I faked right, then jerked left and twisted around him with ease. I scored.

"I let you have that one." Randy admitted as I tossed the ball at him. "This is for real this time."

I could see how much Randy practiced as he tried to get around me. He was very good at basketball in fact. It just wasn't fair that he was going up against a Pryor-Wolf.

By the time an hour had passed Randy was sweating and called it. He couldn't catch up to me without cheating, which is one thing he never did. He sat down on the grass and took a drink of water. He handed the water bottle to me but I declined it.

"I don't get it. You didn't even break a sweat." Randy complained. "How did you get so good?"

I shrugged. "My dad handed me a basketball since the day I could pick things up. He taught me everything he knew. It was one thing I was good at." I chuckled.

"Is there a reason why you don't play for the team? Coach Irik has been breathing down my neck to make you join." He made an impression of his coach, sending himself into a fit of laughter. "Seriously, Jonathan, I don't get why you don't play."

I shifted uneasily on the ground. "I've just had a lot on my mind." To the guys at school I was an orphan. My parents had died my freshman year and I've been on my own ever since. No one questioned that I lived on my own since I could take care of myself and that my grades were perfect. To them I was a kid with a hard life who took the step to make it better.

"Still don't want to talk about it do you?" he asked.

"You believe me." I said a few minutes later.

Kids roared with laughter behind us. I heard parents urging some to be careful and babies cry.

"Try me." Randy said, giving me his full attention.

I sighed. Was I ready to reveal my whole life to him? I decided I was.

"Well it all started with a girl…"


	4. Chapter 3: Home

3. Home

"So where is Claire now?" Randy Miles asked me, peering at me from the top of the tree he had climbed up before I really started what I had begun to say. He fell down only once when his foot slipped, but luckily his foot caught in the squirrel hole so he didn't hit his head on the rock. He cursed before swinging his leg around the branch to bring him to balance.

I shook my head. "I don't know. I expected her to be back by now, but now all I can think about is that something went wrong." I looked over by the deserted swing set, half expecting to see Claire appear.

"What could go wrong?"

"I don't know, Randy. I think that's what worries me the most." I replied sadly to my best friend who now knew everything about my life. It had taken a few hours just to get everything right about my life, not to mention having to explain that the world is filled with Vampires and Werewolves. But just like Amber he sat there and listened through the whole story. He never once interrupted or had that look on his face that made me think I was crazy. He trusted me for some reason.

"What about your dad? Does he know she's alive?" there was a soft thud behind me as Randy dropped from the tree. He sat beside me and stared at the setting sun.

"She made me promise not to tell. She didn't tell me why I couldn't tell, but at that moment I didn't feel like asking more questions. I was just happy I didn't kill my mom." And he hates me. I was going to say that, but I found it useless information. Randy had no need to know it.

"There's a plus!" Randy pushed on my shoulder a bit. "And by the stories you've told me about her and her gift, I'm sure she can take care of herself." That was Randy for you. He always looked at the positive side. Lucky kid.

"So you believe me?" I asked him, almost dumbfounded. Of course Amber had believed me so quickly, but look where that had gotten me.

"Why would you lie to me? It's not something you hear every day, Jonathan. And if the fangs weren't enough then you could call me crazy." Randy teased, making fangs of his own with his index fingers against his front teeth. I laughed with him, relaxing a bit.

Though Randy believing me made me almost want to sing, and as glad as I was that he was taking it so well, my respect points went up when he knew me well enough not to ask questions of Amber, especially after the speech that I gave him.

"And you're completely okay that your best friend is a Pryor-Wolf?" I asked skeptically.

"Sure." He shrugged his shoulders. "What another high school experience to add to the list?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "You're incredible."

Randy twirled a fake hair around his finger. "Gee thanks." His voice was a well imitated school girl. "But if you start to pucker your lips I'm going to have to slap you. It's only the first date."

I howled with laughter as he flipped his hair if he had that much.

"Well, teen wolf, I think it's time I took my leave. See in homeroom." He got up and then quickly dashed to the car. I was blocking his way before he even took one step.

"I don't think so." I held my hand out for the car keys, wondering why I gave them to him in the first place. "And I'm not a teen. I'm old enough to be your dad." I reminded him.

"Thirty-nine. You're old."

"Shut up."

I opened the car door to my sleek black Mustang G6. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the classics. I pulled out of the parking lot and began to weave me way through traffic. Randy lived fairly close to my apartment with his parents. I've seen them only once, but them seemed like fairly nice people, thought Randy ever spoke about them. I pulled up to the curb of his little house squeezed in-between two towers called houses. They looked like mansions to me.

"See you tomorrow, Jonathan." Randy called out to me as he turned to unlock the door.

I was about to say goodbye to him when I heard my cell phone ring. I fished it out of my pocket and before I looked at the caller ID I said, "Hello?" I pulled away from the curb, listening to my tires squeal.

"Jonathan?" a low, familiar voice asked.

I almost hit the brakes at the sound of my name being spoken through the phone. I knew the voice of course, but it was the absolutely _last_ person I expected to hear on the other end of the line.

"Dad?"

There was a soft laugh. "I've been trying to get your number. You never told us that you got a new one." Jason Greenfield said.

I smacked my forehead. "Sorry. I completely forgot." I knew I had forgotten something when I bought the new phone. "How did you get it though?"

"We have our resources."

"You mean you had Taylor sweet talk the Version dealer until he gave you the number?"

"Something like that." I could picture my father smiling on the other end of the phone. "But scolding you about changing your number isn't why I called."

I checked my rear view mirror to see a car that was too close. I had half a mind to slam on my brakes to teach him how to drive, but it would only be an inconvenience to me that I didn't want to deal with.

"What's up?"

"Nothing really. I just wanted to know how you were doing." Jason said. I heard him talk to someone, but his hand must have covered up the mouth piece because I didn't hear him.

I dropped my phone. "Damn it!" I yelled and reached down to try to find my phone. When I finally found it I could hear Jason's voice on the other end of it.

"Jonathan? You there?"

"Yeah I just got cut off." I lied.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

My dad laughed. "How are you doing?"

I paused, trying to think how I was doing. How was I doing? "Alright I guess. Better than when you last saw me. Much better." I answered. "What about you guys?"

"Same. Nothing really exciting now that you're gone."

"You can have some of my excitement then. Some of it's too much for me." I said, thinking of my hectic life. I was the only one who could shoulder it.

"Your life is pretty one of a kind."

I snorted. "No kidding."

"Yeah." I could see we were both running out of topics, but strangely I wanted to keep this conversation going, so I said the first thing that came to mind.

"Where are you guys now?" I asked. I turned left onto my street and packed the car right in front of my apartment. I was getting out f the car when he spoke again.

"Were all the way over in Colorado. Syd wanted to see what its university was like and it was her turn to pick." He chuckled. "You never know with her."

"Mind readers these days." I agreed with sarcasm. I climbed the steps and unlocked my door. I swung the door open and threw my stuff into the corner, knowing I wouldn't do my homework until the morning.

"What about you?"

So I explained to him where I have been for the past two years and how I finally felt better about everything since Amber left.

"Good. Any girls?"

"Not since that first week." I told him. "I haven't looked at a girl since."

"Is that good?"

"For them." I joked. "Well I'm about to hit the sack. I'll um call you tomorrow."

"Alright, Jonathan. Talk to you-"

There was an ear shattering scream on the other end of the phone.

"_No!"_ I heard my father yell. There was another scream before the line went dead.

"Jason? Dad?" I called into the phone. What the hell just happened?

I didn't think about what to do. I just did it. I slammed the door open and jumped the steps. Once I hit the sidewalk I sprinted towards the west, taking off at speeds no human could reach. It was faster than a car. So I began to run to Colorado, knowing whatever gave my father such distress in his voice was there attacking my family. And I had no way to stop it. All it left me was worry and guilt that I wasn't home with my family, helping them fight whatever was there. I wasn't about to lose them too.

The scream bounced through my head, mocking me, telling me that I was already too late.

I didn't know what bothered me more, the fact my family was in danger or that the scream sounded like Amber's high pitched shriek.


	5. Chapter 4: Colorado

4. Colorado

Amber Bay screamed again, but this time her legs buckled in on her and she tumbled to the floor. She convulsed wildly on the floor, not understanding what was going on and why there was so much pain. She never felt so out of control of her own body. It's getting worse, Amber realized with another shake of her form. It wasn't just the mind-speaking thing anymore. She started to be able to _feel_ things moving before they actually did. Amber could sense when trouble was going to happen, but she still had no idea why.

Cody was on the floor kneeling beside her in the same instant. He had been talking to someone, either in the room or on the phone, but she had no way to know before she had just begun to feel the worst pain imaginable. He had said hello to her for a moment as she walked in the door, then collapsed like a sack of potatoes. He was whispering things to her, like he had last time when she had a fit, but it was taking longer this time to calm her down. Was she dying?

By the time he soother her body Amber was crying, wondering what it would be like to die. She didn't want to. Not with _him_ still out there, probably hating her very existence for doing that to _his_ heart. Somehow she had to make things right, but it seemed whenever she thought of a plan it slipped away from her mind. She was just going to have to try harder, if that was even possible. Amber was going to find_ him_ and beg for forgiveness. She was going to even if it killed her.

As long as this…this whatever stuff that was happening to her didn't kill her first.

* * *

I got the border of New York when I finally slowed down. Only a few seconds had passed before I realized I couldn't just go storming in on whatever was happening. And whatever had happened was finished. Something that gave Jason that much stress on the phone had to be bad and I was nowhere near prepared to fight it off when my own family couldn't. And if they could they would be alive. So that left me two alternatives: my family was alive or dead. It was as simple as that. But what was I going to do even if I went there and found them dead or alive? Say 'Hey I thought you guys were dead. Glad you guys aren't. See you'? Hell no. so either way I was stuck here.

There was still that nagging feeling in my stomach though. Why hadn't I heard Angel's voice in the background? No Skylar or Taylor either. In fact all I had heard was silence expect for when Jason had spoken to someone. Then there was only a few seconds of quick speech between us before I heard that familiar scream-the one that sounded like Amber's. But that was crazy. Amber had left me. What would she be doing at my family's home?

It's not like I could just get up and leave either. I had a home here now. I had friends and a life built in this small town. Randy and I had talked about going to college together not too long ago, maybe just a few weeks ago. Randy was going to propose to Lacey one day and they were going to have the life I never could, and I would be happy for him. One day I would end up leaving him because I would never grow older. We would say our goodbyes and move on and I would begin all over again. That was my life now. It's much simpler than it would have been years ago and I couldn't bolt. Not now. For the first time I felt like I was finally moving on from Amber and I wasn't about to screw it up.

But what if that _was _Amber? What if that was her on the other end of the phone, screaming?

Nonsense, I told myself. I was feeding my head lies that would hurt me later if I followed them. Amber had moved on from me and it was only fair for me to do the same.

Besides, Randy was expecting me tomorrow. He would be worried if I didn't show up all of a sudden, especially after all I told him last night. He would think that something happened to me and maybe something might happen to him. I couldn't do that to that good of a friend. Not to Randy.

I turned on my heel and walked back the way I came, not in any hurry to get home. I still couldn't shake the thought that I was supposed to go to Colorado, to see my family, and to make things right. Something told me that there was something waiting for me there, but I stopped listening to my gut a while ago when it led to my heart break. I wasn't about to give into it now.

I fished for my phone that was still deep in my jean pocket. I was surprised to find that it was still in there seeing as I was running at speeds that a cell phone was used to. I looked at the recent calls first. What I found surprised me. The number that Jason had called from was restricted. His number always flashed up in the caller ID. And if he got a new number, I was always the first one to know. He probably was just in a low service area, I mused in my head.

There was a flash of headlights as a car careened around the corner going at speeds well above the limit. There was a loud blare of horns as the car hit the accelerator and tore down the pavement. Suddenly I heard the breaks of that same car. I turned to see the sharp U-turn the car made and that it was making its way towards me. I skidded closer to the wall of building, prepared for a fight…until I saw who was driving the car.

"Get in!" he yelled at me, that grin on his face that I remembered so well.

I didn't hesitate when I ran around the front of the car and opened the car door. I hopped in, not bothering with my seat belt, right as Christopher hit the gas pedal and shot off into the traffic.

* * *

Expelled.

That was probably the worst word a girl could ever hear while attending school. Sure, maybe it was no big deal in high school. There you could just enroll at a new one, but in college? Amber had no idea how it had even happened. She walked up to her scanner to let her into the classroom, only to get a buzz noise of rejection. She tried again with the same effect. She then went down to the office and was ushered straight into the Dean's office. There was no talking. He just slapped a paper down for her to sign. And she did. She signed her own expulsion, wondering what the hell she did wrong.

Amber left the office in haste. She pushed the door open and was assaulted with cool air on her skin with a fresh smell of the Home Economics class. They always made good food. Not that she was ever going to taste it again. _Expelled_, she said in her mind with a low growl. Whatever. It's not like college was the first thing on her list to do. She had better things to do. Like…having sex every night? She rolled her eyes. She didn't want that either, but how else was she going to survive? She could ask Cody, but she wasn't even that low.

There was another cool breeze as she passed the Physics place. Just another corner and she would be at her dorm, hoping they would at least let her in to get her things, not that she had many to begin with. But she wanted her money. Above all she needed that.

A car turned the corner and stopped right in front of her. She recognized that it was Cody's car.

"Get in, babe. We're out of here." Cody flashed a beautiful smile at her, dazing her for a moment.

"W-what?" Amber stammered, still dazzled by his smile.

"I said we're leaving."

Amber was too stunned by his words to respond this time. Leaving? Leaving where? Then heat flashed in her face as she realized that Cody was responsible for her expulsion. No wonder the Dean had such an out-of-this-world look in his eyes. Cody had done something! She was simmering to her breaking point, when Cody laughed.

"What? Mad? And I thought you hated this place." He stepped out of the car and opened a door for her.

She stepped back, almost fearful for her life, but if Cody wanted her dead, he would have killed her already. So with fake confidence she got into the car and shut the door. Cody slid into his seat in the next heartbeat and revved the engine. He glanced at her through the rear view mirror.

"Ready?" he asked kindly.

"That depends." She said slowly, unsure of her safety still. "Where are we going?"

"It's a secret." He said, pulling away from the curb. Pretty soon they were out of the gates of Purdue University. She looked sadly back at the college. In a way she had grown fond of that place, but it was just another school. Nothing to miss too much. It's not like she was leaving anything behind. In fact, she felt like she was going to a whole new place that had something waiting for her when she got there. She was having that feeling of a premonition that she got before something happened, but this time it was good, mixed in with some pain. But pain she could handle, as long as some good came out of it.

"Cody, you didn't happen to get-"

He tossed a bag full of tiny white powder to her, along with a straw. She relaxed, happy that he remembered to grab it for her.

"Not too much this time." He warned.

Amber rolled her eyes, wanting to breathe in the whole bag, but this was her last one. She wanted to save it before she had to buy some more. And it was getting more expensive each time she went to buy. She put the straw up to her nose and breathed in deeply, feeling the sharp pain of Cocaine enter her system. Her body felt the effects immediately and she let her eyes droop before she passed out in the back of Cody's black leather car.

Amber woke up on a soft bed. She turned over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling sleepily. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and groaned. Her ears were ringing like they did every time. She should have listened to Cody; she had taken too much of the drug. But she still didn't regret it. Her dreams had been somewhat peaceful and soothing. That was all she wanted out of them anyway.

Her hand shot out next to her, searching for the glass of water Cody left by her bed every time she did a dose. For some reason it settled her stomach. She gulped greedily as the water trickled down her throat, not satisfied until she down the whole glass. She set it down on the table and waited for Cody to show up. She began to count the seconds, taking her mind off the pain in her head.

One-thousand fifty-four, one-thousand fifty-five-

Cody strolled into the room like he did every time. He was just a few minutes later than normal.

"You took a big whiff." Cody explained. "You were out all night. Thought I'd give you more time to sleep and gather your senses."

Yeah right, she thought. You just want me sane enough to have sex. She didn't understand why he didn't just come right out and say it. But Cody didn't sit on her bed and rub a piece of hair from her face like he always did. Instead he stood there with his jacket on, car keys on his hand. He was leaving?

"I left some cash on the table. Your classes don't start until next week so don't worry about anything but relaxing for right now. You need your sleep." It was strange. His kindness sounded sincere this time.

"Classes?" she mouthed, unable to form the word in her throat.

"There's a schedule on the table. You are now proudly enrolled at Colorado State University." He said fondly. "It's a lovely school."

Amber felt like there was a 'but' on the end of that sentence, but she was too weak to ask. She just nodded and laid her head back on her pillow.

"I bought this house for you. You're probably going to be here a while." Cody said, still talking even though Amber had closed her eyes. "There's a car in the driveway for you and the school is only a few minutes away. You're welcome."

Amber just made some sort of noise to let him no she heard him.

"See you later, babe." Then he was gone. Just like that she was free of Cody Evans again.

She flipped the covers from her legs and stood a little shakily. She was able to stagger to what looked like a kitchen. Just like he said there was an envelope full of stuff from Colorado State University. She found her classes and a map of the campus. She sighed. Just what she needed-more school. Why would he expel her from Purdue if he was just going to enroll her in Colorado? Her mind was spinning for answers, but before she fell over she decided to blow it off and take it. She didn't care for the reason behind it. She was just glad he was gone again.

Well, she thought grimly, here goes nothing. Look out Colorado.

* * *

"So you're leaving?" Randy said as he watched me pack his bag. "Just like that?" Randy was pissed, I could tell. He was angry that it was just so last minute. He couldn't understand why I needed to go back, even though I tried to explain it.

"I told you, I have to see if everything is okay." I repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time.

After spending the night with Christopher I got that sinking feeling I had only a few minutes before seeing him. For some reason his sudden appearance unnerved me, like it had the first time. He didn't speak of anything that had happened, which made me even more suspicious even though I knew the wondering was ridiculous. Chris had nothing to do with the phone call, but it had gotten me thinking. Why was he here? Why now? Is it just a coincidence that he showed up like that? No, I decided. Nothing was ever a coincidence. And I had to find out what the hell was going on.

"What's in Colorado?"

I zipped my bag and looked at him. "My family who needs my help. Either that or they're dead. Any other questions?" I said impatiently.

Randy closed his mouth in regret. His eyes apologized to me.

"Look, I'll be back sooner or later. If not I'll call when I can." I promised Randy who almost looked like a lost puppy. "I just have to go. I can't stay here when something could be wrong."

He nodded. "I get it. Find your family. Don't forget about your human friends though."

"I won't." I smiled at his use of the word 'human'. I was still so shocked to find his easy acceptance of who I am.

We just sort of stood there for a second until I finally took a step back. "Bye, Randy."

"Bye, Jon."

I unlocked my car and put my bag into the trunk. I looked back at the door to my apartment, eyeing Randy who was standing under the door frame. He waved. I waved back, hoping this wasn't the last time I was ever going to see him.

Opening the door I got into my car, started the engine and pulled onto the road, leaving Manhattan behind.

Goodbye New York.

Hello Colorado.


	6. Chapter 5: Twisted

5. Twisted

Amber glanced around the kitchen after she put the papers down. It was a simple place-nothing too fancy. The walls were painted light beige and the cabinets were coated with a mahogany finish, giving the place a homey look. The countertops were made of a soft white marble that declined into a sliver looking sink. There was a mini fridge in the corner. She smiled, knowing that Cody had put it there as a joke, but it quickly faded as she began to think kindly of him.

She dragged her hands along the smooth walls as she passed, wanting to feel everything. It irritated her to have that urge, but it was something she couldn't shake. By the time she made it over to the black microwave she looked at the clock. It was three a.m. Amber sighed, not feeling the least bit drowsy anymore. She knew it would take a day for the drugs to wear off, especially if she took as big a dose as she thought she did.

What was she going to do until dawn? She certainly didn't feel like going to bed, still holding onto the glorious dream of _him_ whenever she closed her eyes. She knew that next time she fell asleep like that, she would never wake up. Or she wouldn't want to at least. In those dreams she never left _him._ Their love was still growing. _He_ was the perfect prince charming and never cheated on her again. Not that she would leave _him_ even if _he_ did. They would break up and get back together, just like all the other times.

Stop, she ordered herself. Last time she let her mind wander like that she was normally crying in the bathroom for hours until she ran out of tears. Sometimes she would puke and think about ending her life, but she knew that no matter where _he_ was _he _wouldn't want that. She didn't want that for _him_ so why would she? It seemed pointless anyway. She was sure Earth was better than going to Hell.

Suddenly she felt a flash of heat across her neck, followed by the noises in her head. Had she not felt this before, she could have sworn she was going crazy, but it always happened when she was stressed or felt so out of control of her life, which was most of the time. She knew this same thing happened with _him_ multiple times, but she still was no closer to discovering what was going on, and it pissed the shit out of her when Cody wouldn't tell her what was going on.

"All in good time, love." Cody had said. Yeah well go screw yourself, she would mostly reply, just leaving him chuckling as she stormed out of the room. She hated being out of the loop. And she especially hated it when it was _her_ freaking life.

Amber toppled to the floor, her hands catching her fall. She took in a few deep breaths to calm herself. The voices finally went away. The worst part of it was that she couldn't understand anything the voices were saying. It was all female and they were speaking in unison, but it was some strange language she never heard of.

"Get a grip." She whispered, pushing a block in her mind, keeping the voices and the pain at bay.

A light flickered above her as she stood up. She rolled her eyes. It was so like Cody. Couldn't even fix a damn light bulb for her. So concerned about his stupid self. Well eff him. Not like he cared about her wellbeing anyway. So what if she broke her arm trying to fix the light? As long as he got his fresh blood all was right in the world for him.

She closed her eyes, trying to keep her temper down. She never had an issue with it before, but now it just seemed so alive inside her. She was just so angry _all the time_. It was her fault, but still.

Amber gripped the counter and tried to wash all the thoughts from her mind. She sighed, knowing there was only one way to do so. She knew it was dangerous seeing as she just took some not a few hours ago, but the addiction was strong and she could barely go a day without some.

It has to be somewhere, she thought, looking around the kitchen. He always moved her stuff, hoping it would curve her addiction, but it never worked. She always found it. This time it was hidden in the highest vent. Clearly he didn't try too hard seeing as it was always the first place she looked. It was like Cody _wanted_ her to get high. Amber inhaled deeply, not even bothering to get a straw, feeling the mist clear her mind. It was only a little bit, but it was enough to stop the throbbing in her head.

When she walked to the bedroom, she had a strange feeling in her stomach. She had no idea why she even thought such an absurd thing, but just for a moment she pictured _him_ driving in a car. But it wasn't just that picture that shocked her. It was why _he_ was driving. She shook her head. The thought was stupid. But the picture was burned into her memory, almost like a vision.

_He _was coming.

* * *

Cody Evans simply stared at the man standing next to him. He was quite young compared to him, but considering he was the only Nephilim that survived the flood, he was the oldest around. It was no wonder he was so young. But they way he held himself it showed his confidence, even standing next to the most powerful Vampire in the world.

"Is he going?" The Vampire asked, peering out the window they were staring at. This place was different from Volterra, Cody noticed. It was more open and not quite as hidden. He must have felt safer hidden in a secluded town where hardly anyone came in to. Not many knew of the little town hidden deep inside of Russia. That was just what he wanted, Cody guessed.

"Yes." Cody replied. "The boy is on his way."

"How long?" he asked.

Cody looked at the full moon shining. "Not too long now. If Christopher did his job correctly there should be no delay." He hated leaving work in the hands of a vampire hunter, but who else could fool Jonathan? And if Christopher had a chance of taking out one of the most powerful Vampire covens in the world, why wouldn't he jump for it? He had as Cody expected.

"Does he suspect?"

"Only what we want him to."

The man clapped his hands together in glee. His face fell though a second later as he saw the slender blonde Vampire walking through the double doors outside. "And her?"

Cody laughed, feeling the man's stress. He should fear her, but he couldn't help but find it amusing. "Claire knows." He replied calmly, hearing a few other doors open down the hallway as she approached. "It was her idea in the first place."

* * *

I was only in the car for ten minutes tops when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I fished it out, keeping my eyes on the road and flipped it open. I sighed. I knew it was only a matter of time before I got a text from Randy. I quickly scanned the words:

You could have taken me with you.

There was a hollow ache in my chest as I read the words. Randy wasn't clingy and he had plenty of other friends, but I could almost hear the worry in the words he sent. He was genuinely fearful for my life.

I sent back:

Too dangerous.

Too dangerous my ass. He replied.

I chuckled. I sent him back a text and told him that I would call him when I got there. He didn't reply back, probably pissed that I wasn't on my way back to get him.

What Randy didn't understand that it really _was_ too dangerous. He had no clue what I could be dealing with if my family couldn't even handle the problem. Something echoed in my head and I realized it was Claire's words. She told me that Jason and I had to work together to defeat something, but the dream cut off before she told me what. Was this what she was talking about?

I pushed the gas pedal down and watched the needle reach the 80 mph sign. I passed a couple of cars on the highway, but there wasn't any traffic. The sun was already dipping down in the horizon in front of me as I got off one highway and onto another. It would be a long ride to Colorado, but I didn't plan on stopping any time soon.

The radio was a soft sound in the background, but I recognized the song immediately. Normally I would have turned it off and tried to keep Amber out of my mind, but this time I was so lost in the memory of her singing this song on our "first date". I sang along with the lyrics of 'Rain is a good thing' and pictured Amber sitting next to me, her velvet voice harmonizing so beautifully. I remembered how she stopped singing when I turned the radio down to hear her voice, just because it was so pretty. Her laughter trickled in the back of my mind. I could almost feel the touch of her bare skin against mine, the taste of her mouth or her hand in my hair. I could picture the way her chocolate milk hair glinted in the sun or how her eyes shown so brightly even in the dark.

It was just a brief thing in my mind, but once I let my guard down for just a moment, all the other memories of Amber rushed in: her kissing me, her voice when she was angry, the way her face looked when she cried, how her shoulders slumped when she was wrong and how she carried herself and didn't care what others thought of her. But the most vivid memory I had of her was the day she left me. She screamed at me to get out and flung her cell phone at me. She told me she couldn't take it anymore and then she left me for dead.

A strangled sound escaped my throat. I didn't know what it was until I felt the tears roll down my cheeks. I wiped them off furiously and tried to refocus on the road. I cranked up the radio on the hip hop and R&B station. I wanted anything to drown out my thoughts so I couldn't concentrate. The constant vibrating of the bass scattered my thoughts just enough to wear I couldn't get a single thing straight.

Amber's gone, I reminded myself. She's not coming back and she doesn't love you. She deceived you by telling you that she loved you, but she lied to you.

I beat on the dash with anger. I'm so freaking sick of it all! Why do I hurt so badly when Amber obviously didn't give a damn about me? I shouldn't still be crying five years after it happened. And yet here I was, wishing she was still in my arms. Everything is so different now that I don't even know who I am anymore. Nothing is like it used to be. It used to be so easy and not look where I'm at?

The radio turned off as I hit it again. I cracked the screen, shocking my finger on the electricity.

"Well that's just great!" I yelled and hit the thing again.

I pulled over on the road, fearing that I would end up killing someone with my driving. It's not fair! Why do I have to be the one so torn up about this? Why is my life so messed up? I could feel my blood rising and my body starting to tremble as my anger peaked.

_No._ _not here._

I leaned my head on the steering wheel and took a deep breath.

And I cried.

* * *

Amber couldn't shake the dream when she woke up the morning after Cody dropped her off here. She had slept through the whole day with the extra drugs she took, but that didn't matter to her. What mattered was her current fear. She had woken up covered in sweat, her heart racing faster than it should have.

She didn't know why it scared her so much. All it was was a picture of a woman standing it what looked like a meadow to her. She was standing in the other direction and was staring at other figures across the field she couldn't make out, except for one that made her heart thump in agonizing pain. There was a shrill cry from the woman's lips as she lunged for the attack.

"No!" Amber bellowed, trying to stop her.

That was when Amber had woken up. It was such a short and simple dream. She had no clue why it bothered her so much, or why it had seemed too real. It was only a dream, but somehow it felt like more than that.

Amber got out of bed and stretched. She was tired of all the pain whenever she tried to close her eyes. She just wanted a peaceful nights' sleep. Note there was no mention of brain splattering headaches in that plan.

She slipped into the shower, trying to wash away the images of that woman who looked oddly familiar. She knew she had never seen her before, but she felt like she should know her. As she pictured the one face she did know in that dream she felt a shiver go down her spine.

_Him,_ she thought wildly, the woman was lunging at _him._


	7. Chapter 6: Phone call

6. Phone call

I passed the sign that said: Welcome to Colorado.

I let out an audible sigh of relief. My eyes were drooping and they seemed like they weighed one hundred pounds. The grip I had on the steering wheel was weak and I was barely touching it in the first place. I leaned my head back a few miles back, about to pass out, but when I saw I was close I knew I just had to keep going. I had no idea what was waiting for me here, but I knew it was something big and maybe life changing.

A few cars were on the road at one in the morning as I pulled off the highway and turned into the first hotel I could find. The parking lot was almost full but I squeezed in by the motorcycle and got out to enter the Lobby.

The door slid open with a quick _ding_ as I stepped through. A younger woman was standing at the desk looking pretty tired herself. She was flipping through a magazine when she looked up to see me. Her reaction made me smile. Her eyes grew wide as she quickly straightened her hair and her dress. There was a kind smile on her lips.

"Can I help you?" her voice was smooth. She pushed her blonde hair behind her ears and flashed me another warm smile.

"Is there any rooms available?" I queried.

The woman flipped through a book full of rooms and names. She slid her finger down the sheet of paper until she found an empty room. "Yes. It's on floor 3, room 112." She slid me the key across the table.

"Thank you." I said, laying down a hundred dollar bill and a fifty. "Keep the change." I winked at her before turning and going back out the door. I climbed the stairs all the way to the third floor and unlocked the door. The first thing I did was land on the bed and fell asleep immediately.

I woke up to a ray of sun in my eyes through the window. I yawned and slowly got up. My back cracked loudly with each move I made. The clock on bedside table said that it was around noon. So I slept for a good eleven hours or so. Not bad for a guy that made a week trip in three days with no sleep.

The first thing I did was go to take a shower. I wanted to start fresh in this place before I searched for my family. Of course the water wasn't warm, but I didn't even care. It was water and it felt like heaven on my parched skin. Once I got out a grabbed for a towel and began to dry myself off. I wrapped the towel around my waist and walked over to my bag to get dressed. With clothes on, a brush through the hair, and a deep breath I went down stairs to my car. Since I missed breakfast I decided to go out to eat for lunch.

I had no idea what town I was in, nor did I care. All that was on my mind right then was food. It's pretty typical for any man. I drove through McDonalds and ordered whatever I could. My stomach was growling for meat. The man talking to me seemed confused to why I would want so much, but he didn't argue when I handed him the money, grabbed my food and went.

My hand reached into the bag instinctively once I was on the road again. I got my hands on my Big Mac and a fistful of fries. I crammed as much as I could on the first bite, savoring the taste. I underestimated how hungry I was and ate all five pounds of food before I even pulled back into the hotel. The worst part was that I was still hungry. No, that wasn't right. I was _thirsty, _but that was something I haven't done in years. I wanted to be normal and I guess drinking blood isn't.

I waved to the woman in the lobby as I ascended the stairs to my room. I pulled out a map of Colorado that was in the first draw next to the Bible. I unfolded it on the bed and thought about where I should go first. I crossed out all the sunniest places knowing that Jason would never take them there. That left me a few forest homes, some over by a tiny river and others in a city. All of them were as far north as they could be, getting the cool air drifts and clouds.

Next I went for my phone, scrolling down to my calls. I attempted to call the restricted number, but I just got a buzz and a 'please try again'. I looked down at the map and crossed off one city. If Jason was hardly getting reception, he had to be somewhere where there were few telephone poles or dead zones. I narrowed down to a few more places. I circled Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, and Greeley first. Those were places they would most likely be-in civilization but on the outskirts of the towns. I was leaning more towards Fort Collins because there was a College up there where they would all most likely enroll in school. I squinted to see the name of the college. I rolled my eyes. Colorado State University. That was definitely Jason. He never got to go there since he moved to Oregon where he met Claire.

I packed my bags, including the map and left a ten on the bed for the maid. I dropped the keys off with the young woman.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked, the same smile on her face.

"Family up North." I told her. "I have to get there as soon as I can."

"Have a pleasant day." She called after me as I walked through the door.

The car started with a low purr. I pulled out of the hotel and glanced at the map. I entered through Interstate Twenty-five so all I had to do was go straight as soon as I was on it. The highway was nice and clear as I got on and hit the gas pedal.

The drive took a short hour. I was surprised by how little the traffic was, but I noticed that the farther I went north, the more deserted the roads got. It's like no one wanted to go near the place. But that was ridiculous. I knew that up here was a well know college that held its own. It was bound to be busy with students. They're all just in school. Not everyone was out like I was so I just kept going.

When I passed a sign that said I was now in the town of Fort Collins. I stopped at a gas station to fill up the empty tank and grabbed a slice of pizza. I leaned against the side of the car and opened my phone again. I entered Jason's number and hit the send button. I got a few rings and then his voicemail. Then I dialed Skylar's number and got an answer this time.

"Jonathan?" Skylar's voice said on the other end of the phone. He sounded surprised.

"Hey. My dad around?"

"Yeah. Did you try his phone?" he asked. I heard him say Jason's name.

"No answer." I laughed. "Or else I wouldn't be calling you."

Skylar chuckled. "Way to be a smart ass." There was another low oath as someone hit him on the led. I heard Taylor's voice.

"Skylar!"

"Calm down, babe." He said. Then to me, "Here's Jason."

"Hello?" there was note of surprise in his voice as well. What the hell? Were they toying with me?

"Hey. You never told me where you lived when you talked to me." I said, glancing at the numbers on the tank fueling my car. I still had a long way to go to fill the whole thing up.

"I haven't spoken to you in months, Jonathan."

"What are you talking about? You called me three days ago."

"No I didn't." he sounded almost annoyed.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Look, just tell where you are and I'll be there soon."

Jason hesitated. "We're in West Virginia over by the coast. I couldn't really tell you the exact city because we're boarding North Virginia too…" I tuned out when he started talking.

I about dropped the phone. West Virginia? What the hell? He told me Colorado not too long ago. And I wasn't dreaming it. I knew the exact conversation we had. He had told me Colorado.

"Jason, do you think you're funny?"

"What are you talking about?" Now he sounded pissed.

I pulled the thing out of my car and hooked it back up to the tank. I slid my card through the slot and got into my car. My car roared to life. "You told me three days ago that you guys were in Colorado. Now where the hell are you guys because I just drove all the way here?"

Jason paused. "Jonathan," I he said my name clearly and slowly, "I _didn't_ call you. We've been down here for a year now. I don't know who you spoke to, but it wasn't me." My dad sounded completely serious.

"But the scream." I persisted. "You sure?"

"Scream?"

"I'll call you back." I said quickly.

"_Jonathan_-"I snapped the phone shut.

If they weren't in Colorado then where were they? And who called me? It sounded like Jason and the voice said things that Jason would say. Who was really on the other end of that phone that brought me all the way to Colorado? Obviously _somebody_ wanted me here. I knew there was a possibility of a trap or more likely my death, but I didn't care. If somebody wanted me here that badly then I was going to stay. I'm here and now I'm not leaving until I figure out what the hell is going on.

I drove the car away and back onto the street. People were filing down the sidewalk with bags and dogs. Some were jogging and some were walking. It just seemed like a normal day to anyone else. I shook my head and kept on driving. I made my way past a few turns and into another motel. I just sat in the parking lot and didn't get out of the car. Well at least for a little while. I got out and sniffed the air, determined to figure out whether Jason was toying with me or if someone who had a grudge against me was here. I didn't smell anything out of place, but I knew it was here. Whoever was here was waiting for me.

I could feel it.

Amber stood looking at the door of her tiny little house. She had gotten dressed, put her makeup on and did whatever she could with her short hair. She took a deep breath and put her mask on. In her house was the Amber she had been. On the outside world she became the Amber that she had to be to survive. To everyone else she looked like a hard core punk or a stripped, which on the outside it didn't look like it bothered her. But on the inside is made her depressed. The world would never know though. The Amber back in Ohio was gone. This was her now.

She stepped carefully onto the sidewalk, carefully avoiding the cracks so she didn't break the heels on her stiletto boots. She smiled as the sun hit her face. The town of Fort Collins was small and peaceful. There was a quiet essence here that made her feel better.

A Mustang passed her as she strolled down the road and she stopped dead. She couldn't see who the driver was, but somehow she could _feel_ who it was.

"No." she said aloud. It wasn't possible. _He_ couldn't be here. There was nothing here for him. That was how she chose her homes mostly. She chose the places _he_ wouldn't go. How? Why?

Maybe it wasn't who she thought it was. Maybe she was just getting sick. That was more reasonable considering how much drugs she had taken. It just _couldn't_ be. There was no way in hell that it was. But she couldn't ignore the instinct in her gut or what her head was telling her. It was almost like a whisper in her brain.

"_Here,"_ the voice said eerily in her mind, _"Jonathan's here."_

Amber's heart broke once more.


	8. Chapter 7: First glance

7. First glance

Jason Greenfield knew something was wrong when he hung up with Jonathan. Jonathan had never called him out of the blue and he wasn't one to make up stories-it had never been his style. His voice had sounded shaken when Jason had told him he hadn't spoken to him in months. But he hadn't. The last conversation he had with him had been when he was telling him about how it was lame his school didn't have dances since it was an all guy school. Still, he wouldn't have worried at all if it weren't for that helpless voice.

Jonathan had only used that tone once before in his life and that was when Jason took him to Claire's grave and heard him whine for her to come back. He could see how scared he was in his eyes and how torn up about her death. But he grew a shell after that and never spoke like that. At least until a few minutes ago.

Who would have called him? Jason wondered. It didn't surprise him that the first thought that came up was Cody. The bastard had picked on him about Amber and end up droving her away. Was he going to start torturing him again?

Anger peaked inside of Jason at the thought of it. It didn't matter that he was angry at his son for saying those words to him in the trees. It _did_ matter that he was his son and that he still loves him and would give his life for him. Cody sure as hell wasn't about to hurt him.

"What was that about?" Angel asked, putting her cool hand on his trembling arm.

He looked up at the family he swore to protect. He never realized what a handful Claire had when she was alive. And he wasn't doing any better. He drove his only son and connection to Claire away. Well he wasn't about to lose him again.

"Looks like we're going to Colorado." He said simply.

* * *

Cody was standing on that same balcony that he had while talking to the leader of the Volturi. _Aro_, he thought with distaste. Such an odd name. For some reason he didn't like the Vampire. There was something about him that bothered him, but he didn't know what.

"What are you looking at, baby?"

Cody turned to see the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on make her way towards him. Claire looked stunning in her white gown, her blonde hair blowing in the breeze with a seductive smile playing on her lips. The way her hips moved made his mouth water with desire. His eyes traced her shape. She put her arms around his waist.

"Nothing, love. Just reveling in success."

Claire laughed. "Our plan is starting out just as planned." She lifted part of his shirt up with her hands, making him shiver with pleasure. He felt her kiss his neck. "And when they all are in one place they will be that much easier to destroy."

"And what about Jason and Jonathan?" Cody asked, still skeptical about the whole idea that she made up.

"What about them?"

Cody turned to her. The way her eyes burned made his heart melt. She really had no care for them anymore. He could see it in her gaze. And that was fine with him. As long as he got to keep her forever.

And he would if it killed him.

He winced as he felt Amber's voice in his head.

"What is it, baby?" Claire asked, concern thick in her voice.

"Just a setback. I shall return to you tonight." He kissed her gently on the lips before walking out the door.

Yes, he thought, he would have Claire even if it killed him.

* * *

Amber had realized in the past few years that she wasn't a force to meet when she was angry. For some reason there was just a surge of power that rushed through her body that she had no control of. She could almost hear the cackle of power in her fingertips.

And right now Amber Bay was _pissed_. She felt like she could take on the whole world with her anger. She had screamed Cody's name in her mind, demanding him to get the hell to her house right now. She had no idea what she was going to say, but she didn't care. She was just seething and she needed answers.

She slammed open the door to her house to see Cody lounging in a chair.

"You rang?" he sounded annoyed.

Good, she thought.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Excuse me?"

Amber growled. "I _saw_ Jonathan _here_. Now why would I see him here?"

Cody shrugged. "Just a coincidence." He threw her a smile.

But Amber was too angry to be affected by his charm. "That's why you brought me here isn't it? Because he was here. I thought you wanted me to stay away from him?"

"I was bored." Cody said, still distant, like he was thinking of something else. "A nice little game wouldn't hurt."

"A _game?_" Amber screeched. "You think my life is a stupid _game?_" how could he? After all his work he got her to do to leave him he would just bring him back to toy with her? To toy with him? Amber didn't know if her heart could take it. And Jonathan? He still didn't know the truth. It would crush him.

"Why yes I do." He got up and walked over to her. "In fact it's a game in which I control the pieces and if they refuse to move, I remove them from the board." He got closer to her, his face mere inches from hers. "Do you understand what I mean?" his voice was low and threatening.

Amber felt herself take a step back frightened. She didn't think of that. If she didn't play by his rules then they would both die and so would his family. But if she played along she was sure that it would kill her as well. She sighed. She saw no other option. She had to go along with his plans or face the guilt of murder.

Her shoulders slumped.

"Good girl." Cody smiled, pleased with himself. "Now I must be going."

"Where?" she asked, but he was already gone.

Amber had no idea what she was going to do. She could feel Jonathan so close to her and all she wanted to do is confess that it was all a lie. She could feel her hurt her heart was at this moment, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was not going to be the reason he died. If it's a game Cody wants then it's a game he's going to get, but sooner or later he was going to play by _her_ rules. She could feel it.

* * *

"Hey, Amber!"

I turned at the call like I do every time I heard her name. A small child was running towards her mother cackling with laughter. The mother took the girl named Amber by the hand and walked away with her into a car and drove away.

I don't think I ever noticed how many girls were named Amber until my Amber left me. Now it seemed like everywhere I went there was always a girl with the name Amber. It was almost like God was punishing me for screwing up so badly. Well I definitely was hurting so it looks like He's doing His job right.

With a slow turn I pulled into my apartment's parking lot. I rolled up my windows and got out of the car. I had been here for two days and I had still found nothing. I expected some sort of welcoming fight from whoever had drawn me here, but I saw no one of the sort. The only people that were around were college kids and parents. I was starting to get pissed off.

There was a cool breeze in the air that sent wisps of flowers my way. I ditched my car and left my keys in the ignition as I walked away from it. I didn't want to sit in my room and sulk. I wanted to get out and get my bearing of this place. As if I hadn't done enough of that already, but I just needed to get out of the damn apartment.

The sidewalk was deserted as I walked toward the center of Fort Collins. There was a little town close to here and I wanted to just sit in relax in one of the bars. It had been years since I was last in one, but I needed a drink. It took forever to get drunk, but I needed something to shave off the horrible pain I was feeling.

I opened the door to the only bar they had: Charles's Place. It wasn't very original, but it was alright. The wind blew into the bar when I opened the door so I didn't catch the scent of beer and cigarettes until I shut the door. I took my seat on a stool and ordered a whisky. The guy didn't even bother to ask for some identification which didn't bother me at all. For some reason I didn't look like someone to mess with when I came in.

I glanced around the bar and looked for anything out of place on instinct. It wasn't full at all. In fact there were only two tables full and one booth with three girls in it. The two tables were filled by college kids who were yelling at the TV over some sport I didn't even feel like looking at. The booth with the three girls was on the one that caught my attention.

The girl on the far left had platinum blonde hair and a skirt that was two sizes too small with black, lacy leggings. The girl in the middle had bonnie brown hair that was tied back into a messy bun. She looked like she was about to pass out as she swallowed another shot of something. The last girl on the right looked like a cheap Paramore imitation. Her cropped hair was red at the top with some yellow and orange highlights on the bottom. She drank out of her glass and said something that sent the other two girls into a fit of laughter. They were profusely drunk and I was sure they didn't even remember their own names. I rolled my eyes and turned away from them.

I heard a click of heels walking towards the bar. The girl with the red hair stepped up the bar and ordered another drink. The scent hit me before her faced turned to look at me. A roll of shock rolled over her body as she registered my face. I could almost hear my heart hit the ground. She took the glass, took a swig, and took her leave over to the table with only a parting glare. I watched her go, my eyes not leaving her for a second.

Amber.


	9. Chapter 8: OD

8. O.D

My eyes followed her body as Amber Bay walked away from me. For a moment I was lost in the way her hips moved and how she sat down. After I got out of my trance I realized how different she really way. Her hair was that cheap imitation of Paramore all cropped to her ears. Her long, beautiful chocolate hair was no more. The shiny, velvet waves had been sheared off and dyed. She was wearing revealing clothes that the Amber in my head would have never worn even if she had been forced. Her waist was too skinny to be healthy and by the color of her skin I was assuming she wasn't very healthy at all. I couldn't piece together how _that_ girl over there was _my_ Amber.

The Amber Bay I had kept locked in my head was still as sweet, as caring, and perfect in my mind. I had pictured her in college or maybe out working as a vet or a teacher. I expected maybe kids and a house, but never in my wildest fantasies did I picture Amber looking like a skank, drunk, and bulimic. I blinked, hoping that this illusion would go away and either that it wasn't Amber or that I was drunk myself and picturing her wrong, but when I opened my eyes she was still there, laughing with her friends. If not for the scent or the perfect face I would never have guessed it was her.

Urges came back in a deluge of emotions. I wanted her to come over to me and smile. I wanted her to touch me. I wanted her to kiss me. I wanted her to tell me that she loved me. I wanted her to come back to me. I wanted her. My heart broke once more as I realized it wasn't going to happen. I had gotten over her as much as I could have, but somehow it still wasn't enough. I _needed_ the girl sitting a few tables away from me, but I wasn't going to have her. She made that clear five years ago. She seemed to be making it clear now by her body language.

Amber was sitting with her back to me and I could tell that her muscles were tensed. She was still acting the same, but I could tell she was on guard. I still knew her well enough to know how she looked with each emotion. She had put up her guard with me and took me forever to get her to take it down. Now it was back up but this time I didn't know why.

I downed glass after glass of anything the bar tender would give me. The money was no issue, but I wanted the feelings to go away. I wanted to forget why I was drinking in the first place. I had serious doubts that I would get drunk, but maybe I could ease the throb of pain pulsing in my body and stop the voices in my head that sounded like Amber's. I glanced over at Amber again.

Amber was laughing at some joke her friend made, the sound a joyous melody I didn't think I would be fortunate to hear again, and was snorting. She spilled her glass over as she hit the table and held her hand up to signal she wanted a refill. The girl with the platinum blonde hair began mopping up the drink and flicked a few drops at the girl with bonnie brown hair.

Pain. The pain was unbearable. I mean to see Amber, to feel her closeness, to take in her heavy scent was too much for me. My heart had taken a beating with each breath and noise she made. The shot glass I held in my hand smashed under the pressure I didn't know I was making on it. I apologized to the bar tender and threw the glass away. Then I put my hands in my hair and tried to drown out every other noise and every other person in the world for that matter. And then I cried.

* * *

Amber flinched when she heard the cracking of glass. It was like she was attuned to whatever Jonathan did that she could hear his sound with the volume on high. So when the cup broke she nearly jumped out of her skin like she heard a gunshot. She looked over her shoulder, breaking her rule not to even do that, and saw that he was cleaning up the glass that had shattered all over the counter and then sat back down. The sounds that came out of him now almost made Amber jump from her seat and approach him.

Almost.

Somehow she had kept glued and stayed in her spot, watching the love of her life cry. She guessed that it was over here and that's what gave her such pain. She was hurting him and she didn't want to. She hated to see him in pain and to hear his sobs come just a few feet away was beginning to unnerve her.

Cody Evans was cruel. He had brought him here. He was using her to hurt him and toy with him. It was his fault that Jonathan was in pain and she couldn't do anything about it. She would rather him be in pain than me dead. If he was dead, then she would die too. It was as simple as that. But she wasn't going to be the reason he died. She knew that he would do the same for her and she had to stay strong. Or she had to die trying.

The pain in her chest was killing her. She grabbed Jessie's beer and downed it in one swig.

"Hey." Jessie said, flipping her blonde hair away from her face, but she did nothing to stop her.

Her head was beginning to swim as she took another drink of Liz's drink this time. Jessie slid a box of pills toward her with a grin. Amber thanked her. The drugs had been out of her system for a day or so and it was time to take more. The urge was stronger than anything and she felt the need of the sweet pill to slide down her throat. She grabbed about four or five pills and swallowed them. She knew the risk but for a moment she didn't care. She just wanted it all to stop.

Amber had been so caught up in her pain that she didn't even remember who she had been worrying about or the fact that the blonde haired boy had left. She couldn't remember his name, but she vaguely remembered that he was important. Then everything went blank.

* * *

I left as soon as I saw Amber swallow the pills. That wasn't Amber anymore. It was some twisted reality and she only looked like Amber. She couldn't be. Amber didn't do drugs anymore. She stayed clear from that crap. Had so much really changed in five years? Did I drive her too this? Did I hurt her badly enough to send her back into the depression like when her mom was killed?

Well whoever that girl was, she wasn't the girl I had fallen in love with. It seemed like that girl was long gone and she wasn't coming back, but the pain still hit me like a brick. I was still in love with her, but I was in love with the old her. Did that mean that I didn't love her anymore? If not why does it still hurt so much to see her?

I walked down an alley and just leaned against the wall and tried to catch my breath. My thoughts were scattered all over the place. I just couldn't picture Amber being a druggie when she told me the story, but not that I was actually seeing what she was like I was downright terrified. She looked like a mess. Her skin was too white and pasty, not the same Chestnut skin she had so long ago. How could this really be Amber? I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

I had been standing out there for only ten minutes when a couple came around the edge of the wall on my far right. It was one of the men I saw sitting at the table, yelling at the TV over a sports game. I was starting to leave when I saw a flash of red hair from the girl the man was groping.

Heat flared up in my face. I watched as the man touched Amber and began to peel off her clothes. He kissed her neck and rubbed against her. I turned to walk away when I heard her moan. The sound was so familiar and I faintly recalled when I had been in the same situation with Amber, but instead she wasn't drunk and she had loved me. But it was that sound that set me off.

I turned on the spot and sprinted to the man and Amber. I grabbed his shirt and tanked him off of her with one tug. The man cried out and tried to swing his arm around to hit me, but I was too fast. I curled his arm around his back until she begged me to let go. I shoved him out into the open with a growl. He ran. I turned my attention to the girl that was on the ground, her head rolling back and forth.

For a moment I just looked at her, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do. I couldn't just leave her there. I thought about dropping her off at a hospital, but then it would give her all sorts of trouble later. With a sigh I decided that I would take her home to my place and treat her until she could leave. I scooped her up in my arms and began to carry her to my place, ignoring the looks and glares as I passed people on the sidewalk.

Amber was too light in my arms. I could feel her bones where my fingers brushed her skin. I was worried when her mouth went slack and when I heard her heart make strange noises. I picked up my pace a couple notches and then I began to run down the sidewalk when I heard her breathing slow. I jumped through the door to my apartment, thankful I never locked the door. I laid her on the bed and ran to my bathroom and grabbed the first aid kit. So long ago Carlisle had taught me the basics and then more complicated stuff of how to help somebody. I praised Carlisle for telling me how to deal with a drug overdose.

I sprinted to the fridge after putting the kit on my bed with Amber. I snatched a water bottle and a soft cloth with a few ice packs. From my closet I took down a hanger in hung it up on the head of my bed. I hooked up the water and stuck the IV in Amber's arm, trying to pump in the cleansing water. I didn't need to check her pulse since I could hear it, but the fact that it was still a faint sound caused my pace to quicken.

The water wasn't working quickly enough when I checked her again. There were too many drugs in her system and if I didn't do something quick, the love of my life was going to die in my arms.

So I made a last minute decision.

I leaned down next to her and put my mouth on her neck. I took a bite from her neck, pleased that I hit the jugular in one try after not hunting for years. I sucked deeply and wrinkled my nose as the drugged blood hit my tongue, but I kept going. The taste was intoxicating. Despite the drugs there was a hint of spice in her veins that was almost like a drug to me. I wanted more of this flavor. I didn't know if it was the taste of human blood or that it was Amber's blood, but all I knew is that I didn't want to stop. But I did anyway. Once I took as much as was safe I put another IV in her arm and pumped O negative blood back into her body, hoping with some of the drugs gone and fresh, clean blood going in that she would heal quicker.

All that there was left to do what wait. Wait and hope that Amber wasn't going to die. I looked over her pale body, wondering what the hell had happened to her. What drove her back to the drugs? Why do this to herself? Amber was brilliant and prepared to go to college and begin a life of her own. She was the one I knew would survive in the cold world, and here she was lying on my bed on the brink of death. This wasn't supposed to happen. Amber was supposed to be with me. We were supposed to get married and fall even deeper in love. We were supposed to live together for the rest of our lives, whether she chose to be a vampire or human. It didn't matter as long as she was with me.

Then she left and my world had spiraled out of its path. I had nothing better to do than sulk and feel sorry for myself.

Now Amber returns to my life all of a sudden, but I would rather she stayed away. I didn't want to see her like this, but what would have happened if I _hadn't_ found her? She would be dead. There was no doubt in my mind that she would just be another kid that succumbed to drugs and never looked at twice. I wouldn't have known and went on with my life still loving her. For a moment I was truly thankful that I found her. At least now she has a chance of surviving.

But she's so _cold_. And her heart shouldn't be beating that _slowly_. A thought passed through my mind that I should change her to save her life, but something held me back. I didn't have a reason not to change but I also didn't have a reason to change her. Maybe if we were still together, but were not. I had no right to even attempt to change her. It's supposed to be her choice.

So will I let her die if she can't survive on her own? I sighed as I put my hand to her icy cheek. No. I would change her if it came to that, but only if it did, not a moment before.

So I sat there and waited. And waited. And waited.


	10. Chapter 9: Meet again

9. Meet again

After the first day when Amber Bay didn't wake up I decided that it was only natural that her body was trying to fight the crap and get it out of her system and that the best way to do it was while she was still asleep. I watched her all day, paced the room every now and then, and tried to eat something, but I was only able to take a bite before I lost all my appetite. Once there was a jerk in her body and I had sprinted to her side, but nothing else happened for another hour so I finally moved from that spot.

It was when the second, third and fourth day passed that I started to panic. Amber just laid there, limp as a doll and if it weren't for her heart beat, I would have called her dead. Her skin was deathly pale and almost translucent. I tried to give her some of my blood, thinking maybe it would help somehow, but there wasn't any way that I could get her to swallow, so that plan crashed and burned.

I was never a patient person. Ask anyone around that knows me. I never could sit still and let things happen. I went out and made them happen. I didn't let anyone waste my time. I never waited for a thing in my life and waiting for Amber to wake up was killing me. There was a chance that she would die right there on my bed and the fact that I couldn't a damn thing about it was _killing_ me.

On the fifth day when I realized that staring at her wasn't going to make her wake I picked her up gently and took her into the bathroom. I balanced her on the counter and took a warm, wet rag and washed her face. The Amber Bay I had known never wore makeup and was disgusted with the girls that caked it on. I was shocked to see that with how much makeup she had on, she made those girls she scoffed at look natural. It took me three rags just to get it all off and that was just the face. I moved on to her thick, black eyeliner and mascara. Black came off in thick chunks and when I was finished I could see a trace of the girl I used to know. The bones in her face were poking out of her skin, but my old Amber was still there, somewhere.

Once I was done with her face I started to peel her clothes off. Not that she was wearing too much in the first place. I left on her lacy black bra-which struck a chord of familiarity in the back of my mind. I realized that it was the same bra she had worn the first night we made love-and her underwear. I turned on the bath tub water until the tub was full and the water was steaming. I laid her in there and scrubbed her short, red hair while remembering the smell of her hair when we went on our first date-the smell of hay. I rinsed off her skin and wrapped her in a white towel when I was done, thinking of the way her skin felt against mine. I dressed her in an old shirt of mine and laid her back in my bed with the covers up to her chin.

I sat right next to her like I had for the last couple of days and stared at her. I went over the features of her face again and again. She was still so different and yet still the same. Her clean scent wafted up to my nose and filled my senses. I pictured her face smiling up at me or how her lips felt when they met mine, or how her laugh made my heart stutter and made my skin blood pressure rise. I looked at that perfect face and wished she was mine. I grabbed her hand in a flash and squeezed.

"Please, Amber." I begged her, wishing she could hear me. "Please wake up. I love you. Wake up." I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it softly, reveling in the scent and taste that I hadn't experienced in five years.

I got up and walked over to the wall and banged on the side. "God, Amber! What the hell is wrong with you?" I turned to face her sleeping body. "Do you take _pleasure_ for my pain? Drugs? Alcohol? Why in the world would you get involved with that shit? I thought you had more smarts than that! Apparently not." I slid down onto my knees and put my face to the ground. "Just wake up." I whispered.

Five days. She's been back in my life for five days and she's already thrown my emotions into the wall. She was destroying me from the inside out and I didn't care one bit that she was. She was everything to me, a drug addict or the sweet girl I met in Ohio. It didn't matter who or what she was. She was still Amber.

My cell rang, startling me from my crouch. I got up and answered it quickly.

"Jon?"

"Dad?" I was shocked to hear his voice after the conversation we had not too long ago.

"Where are you?" his voice was sharp.

For a moment I was lost. "Where are you?"

"Jonathan, just tell me where you are in Fort Collins."

Still a little dazed I gave him my address, not knowing how he knew I was in Fort Collins.

"I'll there in ten minutes." There was a growl on the other end of the line and then it went dead. I shut my phone, still not clearly understanding what just happened.

My dad? In Colorado? How did he know I was in Fort Collins? I shook my head. Ever since I was young it seemed like my father always knew where I was. I decided long ago that it was a parent instinct mixed in with his Werewolf genes. If part of his pack was missing he knew just how to find them. It always astounded me, but sooner after that he gave up on looking for me because I was always at a party. It's been a while since my dad has tracked me and it felt kind of nice to know he was looking for me. We still weren't on the best of terms from our fight before I tried to commit suicide, but the fact that he cared enough to want to know where I was made me feel better.

I looked over at Amber and went to sit next to her again. I grasped her hand in mine and brought her palm to my face. Her scent was cleaner today with fewer drugs. She was improving quickly. Her body was dispelling the poison at a fast rate that shocked me since she was so bad. I kissed each of her fingers, savoring the feeling on my lips. There was nothing better than this in the world.

Amber's body seemed to respond to my touch for the first time in days. She stirred as my lips caressed her skin and her mouth parted slightly. She seemed like she was in some sort of peace, like she had something she hasn't had for a while. Her eyes seemed to dance under her lids as my thumb circled the palm of her hand. As quickly as it started her body stilled.

"No." I whispered to her softly in her ear. "Amber, don't leave me. Come back." I leaned over and kissed her lips, sending a jolt of energy through my body. It wasn't just the feeling of pleasure that went through me either. Like it was actually _energy._ Or something like that. I felt something enter me but I couldn't figure out what it was.

"Amber?" I asked, hoping maybe she woke up from that jolt, but she was as still as the dead. I leaned my head on her chest, trying not to cry. She was here in my arms, but still so far away. Why did she have to leave me? We could have worked it out. At least I think we could have.

The door to my apartment opened and for a few seconds I didn't even bother to look at who had entered. For a few seconds I didn't even care. Al I wanted was here in my arms and she was still on the verge of death.

I turned to face my family and said the first words that came to my mind:

"I don't know what to do."


	11. Chapter 10: Witch

Sorry it's been so long guys. Haven't had the time to juggle writing and school. But since its summerrr I'll be writing like crazy. Thanks for putting up with the wait!

10. Witch

Claire Emerson walked through the red door of a small home that didn't belong to her and into the bright sunlight. The smell of fresh blood followed her as she shut the door and made her way down the sidewalk. It had been a long time since she had killed like this: finding a home that had a family and kids, waiting until they all were home, and then bursting in for the hunt. She had picked the kids off first and silenced their screams. The parents who were still dumbfounded about what was going on sat on the couch until the father picked up a lamp and tried to hit her. Claire dodged with such simple ease that she wasn't even trying. It was all too easy as she killed them both and drained them of their life blood.

Now as she walked out the door she felt a strange sort of pity for the family. It wasn't their fault that they chose to live in this house that turned out to bring their death. It wasn't their fault she was a Vampire and had to kill to survive. But all the same that family was now dead. If she really wanted to she could probably bring them back to life, but she wasn't so sure she wanted to. Claire still found a strange pleasure in killing that she refused to speak.

All the lies, Claire noticed, were bubbling to the surface ever since Cody made her doubt that one day with Jason. The lie that she didn't love Cody, that she didn't love the way he looked at her or fought for her, the lie that animal blood wasn't satisfying, the lie that she took no pleasure in killing, the lie that Cody raped her, the lie that she belonged with Jason, the lie that before she found Skylar she was trying to escape that she was a Vampire, the lie that she wasn't a killer before she met her family, the lie that she secretly wish she never found them, the lie that she hasn't met with Cody between the time she became a Vampire and the "first meeting" in the desert so long ago, and the lies she would soon make. Yes, all the lies were just swirling around her, taunting her. Well they would be if she still had her conscience, which she found was gone ever since Cody had brought her back. She wondered what else Cody had taken from her if anything at all when he brought her back.

Claire turned at the edge of the driveway and looked back at the house. Such a simple home that to any onlooker it would seem as a normal with a normal family eating dinner inside. No one would know what truly happened. Claire smiled as she flicked a match into the yard where she had poured the gasoline before she went in to kill. The yard went up in flames and traveled to the house, consuming everything in its path. A small laugh escaped her lips as the smoke lifted into the air. As she heard sirens, Claire slipped through a small clearing with speed that made her almost invisible.

Once she passed over the field and into the covering of the trees, Claire sat down on a log and began to laugh. She had forgotten how exciting this was. The thrill of killing innocent beings. Claire felt a strange high as she caught her breath.

"Causing trouble, my dear?" a velvet voice almost sang as she heard it whisper behind her ear. She felt her heart jump and then melt as she heard his voice.

Cody sat next to her on the log. She leaned her head on his shoulder and kissed his jaw. "I wouldn't call it trouble. I'm just having fun again." She answered playfully. He laughed as he put his arm around her.

"I'm pleased to hear that, though I wish you saved me a bite."

"Survival of the fittest, babe." Claire grabbed his hand and jumped off the log, taking him with her. She swung her feet low before he had a chance to realize what was going on, but somehow he always knew what she was going to do. He snatched her feet before they hit his legs and flipped her over his back. Claire laughed and pounded on his back. She begged him to put her back down in between her laughing.

"Not a chance." He slid her on the ground anyway and put his weight on top of her body. He slid his hands along her hips and up to her face, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips until he became hungrier. Claire kissed him back with a passion, grasping at his hair, pulling him closer to her. His kisses trailed down her neck as she moaned. Claire brought his lips back to hers, not wanting to be separated for one minute. For a moment she had a brief flash of Jason kissing her like this, but more tenderly like a lover. She shoved it out of her head. Soon all of those memories will be dead, along with Jason and everyone else.

Claire pulled away, pushing he hair behind her ears. "Are they there?"

Cody, still dazed, was confused. "Who, my dear?"

She twisted her body out from under him and brushed the dirt off her clothes. "You know who I mean, Cody. Who else would I be talking about?" she felt a sudden amount of anger swell in her body.

"Yes. I've told you that they all got there yesterday. Jason called Carlisle in hope that he would gain information on how to treat the human. Being as stupid as he is he couldn't figure it out so Carlisle will be here tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Good. I was worried how to get the Cullens involved, but it seems like things are just happening on their own." Claire felt a smile tug her lips. "This is actually going to work."

Cody wrapped her in his arms, taking a deep breath of her lovely scent. "Of course it's going to work. It was your idea to wipe them out in the first place. I still don't understand why though." He put his lips in her hair and kissed her head.

Claire thought about it for a second. She never really thought about a reason why she wanted to do this, all she knew was that she wanted to. "Death changes things I guess."

He looked at her and smiled. "It does." He kissed her gently. "When do you plan to return to them? It's soon I hope."

She gazed into his eyes before answering. There was a twisted smile on her lips as she spoke. "When the Witch wakes up. That's when I'll go back."

"The Witch?"

Claire arched a perfect eyebrow. "Oh _please_, Cody. You can't tell me you haven't figured it out yet. Even you aren't that stupid."

Cody shifted on his foot and looked at her. "I wasn't sure enough to make an assumption. She's a very odd Witch if she is one. Normally they progress at an early age and get stronger as they grow. It seems like the power just pounced on her when she moved to Ohio."

"My old family attracts power. It's no surprise that it's awakened inside her while around them." Claire said.

"And what power she has. I've never seen anything like it. It's like it stored for centuries in her, not just years."

There was a breeze that ruffled Claire's hair, bringing a scent of pine trees to her nose. "I've searched her family line. There's not one name or relative of hers that is of Witch descent. It's all Amber."

"Maybe it's a family we've never heard of." Cody suggested, not liking that he knew so little about Amber. He hated that he spent so much time with her and uncovered nothing. It frustrated him.

She shook her head. "You said it yourself. She has a lot of power that she doesn't even know of yet, which means there's a lot more to come. If there was a line with that much power she was connected to, we would know of it."

"Do you think she might have some Indian blood in her instead of just witch? They seemed very high into the magic. Plus she's very tan. That might be where were missing the link."

"Maybe. We wouldn't be able to cross it off the list with as little info as we have. I wouldn't be surprised if she was related to some Werewolves either. They carry that kind of stuff as well. Maybe even more than Witches."

Claire seemed pleased with their ideas, hoping the more insight she had on the Witch, the easier it would be to deceive her. It would never hurt to have Witch of the magnitude on their side. Not that it would make a difference. Her old family was dying no matter what. She would see to it personally.

Cody grabbed her hand and started leading her to another part of town. "Are you still hungry? I saw a family of five living in a small cottage in the woods close to here." There was a flirty smile on his face.

"I might eat one. But I mostly just want to play with them. I've missed a good hunt." Claire said as she placed a fox smile on her lips. "Any runners?"

"The boy won state three years in a row in his college. Mid-distance."

"Good. I hate it when they tire too quickly. I like to chase." Claire laughed, sending a shiver down Cody's spine.

Cody Evans wouldn't admit it, but this Claire that he brought back scared him.


	12. Chapter 11: Awake

11. Awake

She looks terrible, Jason Greenfield thought as he looked at the girl lying on the bed. As he once recalled, Amber Bay had been a beautiful girl. She had been full of life and was somehow able to stick by Jonathan. He admired her for her strength and believed that though Jonathan had many faults, she was perfect for him in her own way. Amber kept him in line, made him happy, and gave him a much needed wake up call for his life. Jason had never seen his son look so happy when he looked at her.

But now it all was different. The girl still had her beauty hidden beneath her skin, but she looked like death. When they first arrived at Jonathan's apartment they were all in shock at what they saw. Amber had left his years ago and to see her lying on his bed in this state shocked him. He never pictured Amber to do drugs. Even as he looked at her as Jonathan told the story of how he found her and what he was trying to do, Jason couldn't really believe it. But the proof was there.

Skylar had moved first after the story to check Amber's pulse. It was faint beneath the skin. Jason had a hard time hearing her heart beat even from a few feet away. It would be a miracle if Amber survived this kind of drug overdose. After a few hours of trying a few things, Jason finally called Carlisle, wanting to know what he should do. There wasn't much to do over the phone and with his patience waning, Carlisle promised to be there by morning at the latest.

Now they all sat around the room, Angel trying to make some small talk with Taylor, but no one was really in the mood to talk. Jonathan, other than what he said when they first walked in, remained silent the entire time. He never took his eyes off her, he never moved. He just sat there with a longing gaze that he knew all too well-he had given Claire the same look as he watched her sleep after he beat her. Jason could see the unbearable pain in his son's eyes that he couldn't do more to help her. It broke his heart to see his son like this.

"Jonathan, have you thought of…you know…changing her?" Jason heard Nick ask. All heads turned to his son as they waited for his response.

The room was filled with a thunderous silence. Jonathan just stared at Amber.

"Of course I have." He said finally. Jonathan grabbed Amber's hand and squeezed it softly. He kissed her palm and held her hand to his face, lost in some sort of thought. He whispered her name.

Everyone looked away then. There was something so sincere and kind about that moment he said her name that it almost seemed rude to watch. There was no denying that Jonathan loves Amber, Jason thought. But how much will he survive when she dies?

"I know what you're thinking." Jonathan said suddenly. At first Jason thought he was speaking to him, but he said more. "But you're not done yet. You're not leaving me again. I won't let you."

In that moment Jason felt all his anger slip away. He didn't care what Jonathan said to him. He didn't hate him. He never did. There wasn't a moment in his life that he didn't regret the things he said to him in the woods, but Angel and Taylor were right. His pride got in the way of everything. Not anymore, he thought as he stood up.

Jason approached his son. He pulled up a chair next to him, laid his hand on his shoulder and just sat there. Jonathan didn't pull away or even say a word. They just say there together, a father and son. The past few years seemed to disappear and Jason was going to do anything in his power to keep Amber alive. Jonathan was _not _going to go through what he had to when Claire died. That was one pain that he didn't need to carry on his already burdened shoulders.

But for some reason Jason had an urge-a brief flash in his mind-to get as far as he can from Jonathan, and it scared him.

* * *

Aro watched the first Vampire pace in his room. Cody Evans seemed distressed as he raked his hands through his hair. He felt a coy smile come to his face. "Something wrong, dear one?"

Cody glared at him. "I'm no 'dear one' to you. I could kill you where you stand without lifting a finger. Remember that." He growled.

"And yet I'm still here."

"Lucky for you Claire needs you in this plan. If she didn't you would be dead, Aro. Make no mistake about that."

"Then what's bothering you, oh king?" sarcasm was just about dripping from Aro's mouth when he spoke.

Cody shoved Aro against the wall. "You don't understand what's at stake do you? You can't fathom what could happen if this doesn't work."

"Doesn't work? I thought the plan was full proof? Or is that just your ego talking?"

"There's nothing wrong with the plan. Claire and I have gone through every scenario. There is nothing that we haven't thought of that could happen. We took precautions. Were ready for anything."

"I still fail to see what's bothering you then."

Cody sat down on the cold, marble floor. He put his head on his knees. "I brought her back wrong."

"I beg your pardon?"

"_Wrong._" Cody said louder. "I brought Claire back _wrong._"

"Is that possible? Claire is still Claire even in death."

"You don't understand how the world works. When something dies it's supposed to stay dead. I broke one of the biggest rules by bringing her back."

"Still lost, Cody."

"When a soul is separated from its body, it's supposed to stay like that. The soul isn't supposed to go back to the body. Claire isn't as complete as she was when she was still "alive". Since she died as a human we didn't burn her body and the Vampire in her stayed in the body, just dead. Now that Claire is back in the body, so is the Vampire and it's very much awake."

"That's bad?"

Cody sighed. "The Vampire is no longer a part of her. Her soul and Vampire were ripped from each other. Those kinds of things don't mix once they're separated."

"And that means…?"

"I didn't bring her back as strong as she was when she was alive. The Vampire is stronger. That means that the Vampire wants out and wants control of the body. I've already seen the nature of it spilling through her slowly." Cody threw a lamp that was on the wooden table he sat next to. "Claire's slowly being consumed by the Vampire inside her."

"I fail to completely see the problem. Wouldn't it be better to have the Vampire? I don't completely trust Claire when she says she's going to kill her family. She loves them."

"Pure Vampires-Nephilim-have no morals, you fool. She'll kill us and everything in her path. Why do you think God wiped them from the Earth? If one as bloody strong as Claire is set loose on the Earth then all Hell will break loose. Everything will fall apart. She'll recreate the old race of Vampires much stronger than ourselves if we don't stop her."

"Stop her?" Aro asked.

Cody stood up and brushed the dirt from his shirt. He combed through his hair and put it back into its proper shape. To any other person he would look like a Greek God, not a man who just freaked on the floor. He hid his fear and pain well.

"Yes, stop her. We're going to have to kill her."

* * *

The touch of my father's hand on my shoulder was unexpected, but I was too busy staring at Amber to really react. I didn't want to take my eyes off of her for even one second.

I wondered briefly for a moment if Jason and I would ever be the same two people as we were a long time ago. If we could be friends again. If we could overlook all the hurt words and actions from the past years and just move on from it. If we could somehow just enjoy each other's presence.

I knew the answer long before I even thought about the question: No, we weren't ever going to be like we used to. There's something between us that I can't quite figure out, but I know its pushing us apart. Even as he sits close to me my instinct is telling me to push his hand off my shoulder and go to the farthest part of the room from him. I don't understand why I now all of a sudden have that feeling, but I do. I didn't even have it while we were fighting about my girl issues. It seemed like right after I phased for the first time that I felt the distance between us, but I also could have been so wrapped up in women that I wouldn't have noticed so I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't. Jason and I will never be friends. That's the end of it.

I looked sadly at Amber, wishing she would just wake up, and that maybe some part of my old life would fit back together. Then maybe I wouldn't feel as badly as I do now. The pain wasn't the same as when I tried to kill myself, but it was getting close. I if I lost Amber I don't know what I would do. I probably would try to kill myself again. Without her my life wasn't worth living. If she wanted to leave then that was fine, but for her to die…I couldn't imagine a world without her.

And this time when I try to claim my life, I thought, Amber Bay won't be there to stop me.

I quickly shook that thought. Amber, no matter who she is, hated the fact that people killed each other and even killed themselves. It didn't matter if she hated me; she'd hate me more if I killed myself. I shook my head, feeling my mind wearing down from all the stress.

My chair made a slight noise as I stood up. "I'm going to bed." I announced and slid in my bed next to Amber. I kept a nice distance from her body, not wanting to jostle her in her sleep. "Wake me when Carlisle gets here."

I could hear everyone moving almost silently as they left my apartment.

"We'll come back when Carlisle gets here, Jonathan. Sleep tight." Angel said as she kissed my forehead. I smiled slightly at the motherly gesture. The door shut after that and I knew they were gone.

I relaxed my body to get ready for sleep and shut my eyes. On instinct I grabbed Amber's hand, but this time it was different. As our flesh touched it felt like I was being pulled into my mind.

And then it all went black.

* * *

Amber Bay was dreaming.

She was lying down on the grass as a gentle breeze ruffled through her hair, which was once again long and chocolate colored. She closed her eyes and smiled at the happy feeling she was in. Drugs couldn't give her a feeling like this, the feeling of pure bliss. Amber knew she hadn't felt this way in a long time, except when she saw Jonathan at the bar.

Jonathan. She smiled just thinking about him. His golden hair that felt into perfect curls. She remembered how it bounced when he ran. His perfect eyebrows and beautiful, deep sea, blue eyes. His smile and laugh that sounded like bells ringing through the mountains and his voice that reminded her of smooth river running through a stream. His shoulders that were perfect for her head when she leaned on him and his strong arms that just knew how to hold her right. She could almost feel his tender touch as he brushed her hair from her face or when he loved her. She knew what his mouth felt like and how it moved with hers. Amber was perfect for him and he was perfect for her.

At least in her world he was.

In the real world Cody wouldn't let her anywhere near him, but here she could fantasize about him all she wanted. She could be in love with him and no one could tell her that she wasn't allowed to be with him.

"Jonathan." She breathed, her own voice sounding like a shimmering bell.

Amber then felt arms constrict around her gently. She opened her eyes, startled. There, lying next to her was Jonathan Greenfield. It must be my mind, she thought. It's giving me what I want. But she couldn't shake the feeling that it was real, that Jonathan was actually here.

"Amber?" Jonathan asked as he looked around the small field they were lying in.

Amber, still smiling brilliantly that her mind finally gave her Jonathan in her dream, twisted around so she was facing him. "Hello, my love." She kissed him.

It took Jonathan a small amount of time, she realized, for him to kiss her back. For some reason he was bewildered at the fact that he was here. It didn't matter to her though. She was in her own little world with her lover holding her and she couldn't be happier.

Jonathan pulled away and really _looked_ at her. "Your hair? You look like you used to."

"Because I'm still me, silly." Amber laughed.

"But you left me. The drugs, the alcohol. You cut your hair." He seemed very confused and began to look around in panic again.

"That's who Cody made me." Amber assumed that she made the Jonathan she saw in the bar and since he wasn't real, she told him everything. "I didn't want to leave, but he made me."

"Cody?"

Amber nodded.

Jonathan shook his head. "Now I get it. I'm dreaming." A small smile came to his lips. "I almost thought this was real." He seemed to be criticizing himself.

Amber leaned back in his arms, shaking her head. "No, my dear, this is my dream. I made you. I brought you here."

Jonathan laughed this time. "I don't think so, babe. I fell asleep next to you in my apartment. Carlisle's coming in the morning to help you. You had a drug overdose."

Amber had a flash of an alley right after Jonathan left. It was blurry but she remembered a man who looked like Jonathan come and pull a guy off of her before picking her up and carrying her somewhere. Then her mind went blank. He was telling the truth.

Amber gasped. "It's real."

"Excuse me?"

"It's real!" Amber yelled, sitting up. "Jonathan this is real!" a million thoughts passed through her mind. The first thing was that this all was real and that Jonathan was somehow in her mind. But this wasn't really the first time. She remembered speaking in his mind somehow in times of distress. Now he was in her mind and she could talk to him. The second thought was if Cody was listening. She doubted it. If he could then he would have stopped it long before. The connection wouldn't have even been made.

"What are you talking about?"

"Look I don't know how much time we have, but this is real. Remember when I could speak into your mind sometimes? Well this is like that. Were both dreaming and were here together. You have to trust me."

Jonathan shook his head. "I don't believe this." He started to pull away from her.

Amber grabbed his arm. "No, Jonathan, please listen to me! What I said about Cody was true. He made me leave you. Don't trust him. He's up to something. Jonathan, I love you. I always have. I didn't want to leave." She was started to speak in such a rush she couldn't even understand herself.

It finally seemed to dawn on him that what she was saying might actually be truth. "You still love me?"

"With all my heart, Jonathan." She kissed him.

He kissed her back, clutching her to him. "I love you." He whispered to her.

"I love you, Jonathan. I told you not to forget. Don't forget, okay? I love you. _Please_, don't forget, Jonathan."

It seemed like Jonathan was thinking about what she said and she hoped he was putting it together from all the times she told him she loved him and to not forget it. But he didn't have time to respond before he disappeared.

"Jonathan!" Amber yelled, but there was just silence. Then there was a sharp pain in her chest that caused her to scream. It was burning inside her like a fire. Amber thrashed on the ground before there was a sucking feeling in her head and it all went black.

And then Amber opened her eyes.


	13. Chapter 12: The return

12. The Return

"Jonathan." I felt someone shake my body. "Jonathan wake up. Carlisle is here." Another shake on my shoulders. "Jonathan?" this time the female voice was a little more panicked.

The cool hands left my shoulders. I tried to open my eyes, but I felt so disconnected from my body. I wanted to tell them that I was here and I was awake, but my body wouldn't listen to what I was trying to tell it to do. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew enough to realize something wasn't right. I didn't remember where I was or what I was doing here, but the name Carlisle sounded strangely familiar.

Everything came back in a rush. It wasn't like in the movies where flashes of scenes flip through your mind. No, it was more like a tidal wave of memories just being recognized at once, and let me tell you, it gives a hell of a headache.

"Ahh." I moaned, grasping my head. I rolled over on my side and curled into a fetal position. The pain was exploding in my head with light flashing beneath my eyelids. The pain didn't go away until the memories settled back into my head where they belonged and when it did I relaxed my stiff position.

I slowly opened my eyes as I felt a pair of cool hands touch my face. The first person I saw was Carlisle, who I remembered was supposed to show up in the morning, and when he did show up I asked them to wake me. It was all coming together. I must have fallen asleep. There wasn't something important about that nap, but I couldn't remember what…

"Jonathan? How are you feeling? Is it your head that hurts?" Carlisle put his hands on my forehead and checked my neck and spine.

I leaned up on my elbows and fell back down, my head swimming. Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder, keeping me down. "Stay down. Now is it your head?"

"No." I mouthed, which was a lie. When I sat up the pain flashed back into me. I felt like I was going to hurl. And I couldn't remember why I felt this way. I don't remember being sick when I fell asleep, but something was stuck in the back of my head, I just couldn't put it on the tip of my tongue.

But Amber was in my head the next instant.

"Amber." I said, forgetting the pain and I flipped on my side in a flash and spied Amber lying there like she had been when I fell asleep.

I felt Carlisle trying to pull me back into my lying position, but I held my spot. "Is she okay?"

"She's still not responsive, Jonathan. We've been trying to wake her just as long as we have trying to wake you." Angel said and I noticed that she was the one I heard right before I woke up.

"Wait." I said, confused. "Trying to wake me?"

"You've been unconscious for about an hour." Carlisle said, but that didn't sound right. I mean, I just fell asleep. I know time doesn't matter in a dream but-

The dream.

That's what I've been trying to remember!

I could think of a pretty meadow type place with perfect green grass that had the distinct smell of summer. The breeze was just blowing slightly when I showed up with Amber Bay in my arms. I knew from the moment I began to hold her that it was one of the many dreams I've had of her.

"Jonathan." Amber breathed. As soon as she said my name I had had a gut reaction to wrap my arms around her. To keep her near to me. Her body almost felt real against mine.

"Amber?" I had asked. I remembered looking around. Not quite sure where I was or what I was doing here.

She had smiled at me and kissed me after calling me her love. Then I knew it had to be a dream. Amber hated me.

I remember asking her about her hair and how she looked like she did when I first met her and she simply answered that she was still her. I didn't quite understand what she was talking about but when I said that I was the one dreaming something must have clicked for her.

And that's what I couldn't remember. It was there in my mind, I could feel it, but it was out of my reach. I tried to guess what she had said, but nothing sounded right or fit together.

How could I forget maybe the most important thing Amber said to me? And why was it important? It was just a dream.

Forget?

Why did that word sound so familiar?

Carlisle interrupted my thought process.

"I've put some antibiotics in her, hoping to speed her recovery, but there is no indication that the medication is doing anything for her. Her case of drugs is severe. She certainly loaded herself up." He looked at her sadly. Carlisle hated losing a patient.

"She'll be fine." I growled, moving my body over her in a protective stance. Nobody was going to pull the plug on her. She was going to live.

"Settle down, Jonathan. I've been here for an hour. We're not doing anything rash. I want her to live as much as you do." He put a calming hand on my shoulder.

I doubted that. Nobody loved her the way I did. Even if he cares for her, its nothing compared to my burning desire for her. I wanted her, I needed her and I was not going to lose her again.

"Are you feeling better?" Taylor asked as she came through my small kitchen carrying a glass of what looked like blood. I raised an eyebrow. "What? You're a vampire. You need to drink and this is the best way to heal." I couldn't really argue with that so I downed the glass…and the five more she gave me.

I closed my eyes, feeling my body respond nicely to the blood I drank. My stomach settled, my headache faded and my pulse slowed down considerably.

The next few hours were long.

I had told them everything I could remember about what happened after they left, which was lay down and fall asleep, but that didn't answer why I was so unresponsive for an hour. I felt like I knew the answer, but it was also back in my mind like what happened in that dream. Carlisle then had done some tests on my head, taking samples and crap, trying to see if there was a medical explanation, which I could have told him there wasn't. But he wanted to try anyway. There was nothing. After that Jason started talking about maybe it had to do with being mixed with three different creatures. He even brought up that maybe my body was so overwhelmed it was starting to fall apart. No one listened to him, though I had a strange feeling he was right. Once that was out of the way there was a deadly silence that seemed to fill the entire room.

Everyone was nervous for some reason. They kept looking at Amber and then back at me like they were waiting for something to happen. Were they thinking I would explode and go on a killing rampage because of my pain? Did they think I would do something rash? I noticed their eyes following the scars on my face and arms, making me realize they thought I was going to attempt suicide again. I just rolled my eyes and held Amber's hand.

_They think you're going to die, Amber. _I spoke softly in my head, trying to talk to her through my mind for some reason. It was like an instinct almost. _But I know better. I know how strong you are. You'll make it._

It's funny how I could hear the own lie in my voice. It's not that I didn't have faith. It's just that the chances were slim. I didn't think she would survive and if she did…well we had no idea what would happen. Her mind might be damaged, she could be paralyzed, her kidneys could shut down, she could get cancer, her immune system would be shot…there was just so much that could happen to her if she even lived. If she came out alive and the way she was before, well it would be a miracle to say in the least.

It was ten o'clock at night when they decided to call it a day. It didn't seem like she was going to wake up anytime soon so they started to leave. Taylor and Skylar were the first to leave, talking about stopping at the college and seeing if Amber had any medical forms that might explain what's going on. If not I heard that Angel was going to hack the hospital in Ohio to see her records from a while ago when she moved to Ohio.

I just stayed there though when everyone left. I just stared at Amber, picturing her beautiful chocolate eyes looking right back at me. I thought of small moments of our time together that I missed most. The feel of her skin against mine, the way her smile curved slightly more to the left, how she smelled like the farm and hay, the way her hair fell perfectly in the morning, how her laugh was like a melody of the most beautiful music and how her hand fit perfectly in mine like we were made for each other.

I remember hat it was ten-eleven P.M. when it happened because I had just looked at the small alarm clock Nick had gotten me so I wouldn't be late for school. I still was anyway, but the thought was nice.

I had just laid my head on the pillow and shut my eyes when I heard a small groan. I shot up and looked around the room for an intruder, but there was no one. There was another small noise that I realized came from Amber. I looked at her for a minute, not realizing what was going on until her hand twitched.

The covers fell to the floor when my feet kicked and I leaped off the bed and rushed over to her side of the bed. I kneeled by the bed and watched her face move ever so slightly. It had been over a week since she had moved even a tiny bit. Was she finally going to wake up? Or was it my imagination just acting up? No, her face-her beautiful face!-pinched up again. This was actually happening.

"Amber!" I said, taking her face in my hands. "Come on, Amber, wake up. Come back to me, Amber. Amber." I figured saying her name over and over again would get a response, and for once I was right. The more I said her name, the more her body moved. She began to roll her head back and forth.

"Jonathan." She said softly. My heart leaped out of my chest as she said my name, the first word she had spoken in what seemed like an eternity. She sounded like she was calling for me, like I had disappeared and she was wondering where I went. Was there a hint of panic in her voice too?

"I'm right here, Amber. Just open your eyes."

Then something went wrong.

Amber started to groan, but it was different from the first one that woke me up. It sounded like she was in pain. Her body put itself into a fetal position and she clutched her head like it was going to explode. She cried out in pain.

"Amber!" I touched her head and tried to think of any way to help.

I called Carlisle and told him to get here, now.

"Amber." I said softly, my heart breaking because she was in pain. I wish somehow I could take it away from her. I would without hesitation.

"She'll be fine, Jonathan." Said a familiar voice that I haven't heard in five years.

Claire Emerson, my mother, my beautiful mother, walked up to Amber and put a pale hand to Amber's face. The pain seemed to ease away from Amber immediately.

I looked at her, dumbfounded. "How…?"

"I'll explain everything later. I don't like repeating myself." She flashed a smile at me that made my heart pound. "Look."

I had seen my mother for the first time five years ago right after two girls said I cheated on Amber with them and I had ran to follow Claire when I saw her in the hall. There she had explained what she could about what had happened and why she wasn't around. I mostly didn't care about the details, but more about that she was alive and I wasn't a murderer. After she left I had had a fight with Jason that almost led to my death from suicide.

My eyes looked over at Amber as she opened her eyes.

I gasped.

Amber opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes seemed dazed until she saw me sitting there. I smiled at her.

"Jonathan?" she asked and looked around again. "Where am I?"

"My room. You were sleeping for a long time and you didn't wake up. I've been worried." I told her, leaving out the drug part. I didn't want to shock her. It was best to lead her into it slowly.

"Your room?" she still seemed confused, but her eyes widened a few seconds later. She smiled for a moment-my heart might have stopped beating at that moment-and looked at me again. "Oh, Jonathan! I had the most horrible dream! It was-" she stopped speaking as she put her hand through her cropped hair. She held her hand there with a look of disbelief on her face. She looked down and I thought she whispered, "Not a dream", but I couldn't be sure.

"A dream?" I asked her with a smile on my face. Maybe by talking about her dream, I could remember mine.

Then she took me by complete surprise.

Amber glared at me. "Piss off." She said and got off my bed. "This room looks like crap. Is this all you do? God, you're so incompetent. I'm glad I left you when I did."

I didn't think it was possible for my heart to break again, but I felt it, or what was left of it, crumble into dust and burn. I almost cried out in pain, but somehow I kept it on.

She eyed Claire. For a moment she looked sad, but the emotion went away and was replaced by anger. She rolled her eyes. "Is this another girlfriend? Where did you get her? Off the street? I guess you can't do any better. You're trash too."

I swallowed. "Actually, Amber, I'd like you to meet my mother." I looked at Claire and she smiled at me. I noticed that her eyes were blood red instead of the warm brown.

Amber did a double take between both of us. From her expression I could tell that it was the last thing she expected me to say. "Oh." Was all she said. A few seconds later she said, "Well, I'm out of here. I'm tired of seeing you." She turned to leave, but just at that moment I door banged open and my entire family poured into the room. I thought their eyes were big when they saw Amber, up and walking, but when they turned to ask me something, all eyes fell on Claire, who was supposed to be dead. All jaws dropped to the floor.

I looked at Jason, who had stepped to the front of the crowd and had a face that looked like a mix between joy, confusion, and suspicion. He just stared at her.

"Claire?" the name passed his lips like he wasn't sure what he was saying.

Claire smiled. "Jason, I've missed you, my love."


	14. Chapter 13: Story

13. Story

"Will someone _please _tell me what the hell is going on?" Amber said, breaking the silence.

No one said a word after she spoke, though. We all continued to stare at the woman who was supposed to be dead, except for Syd, Angel, Edward and I who all knew the truth.

"I thought you killed your mother, Jon." Amber sneered, completely oblivious to the eyes that glared at her. "Or is that another thing you lied about?"

"Not now, Amber." I said, not taking my eyes off Claire.

Claire shifted on her feet. She looked uncomfortable being stared at as if she was a ghost. To them she was. "I know you don't understand, but you have to let me explain. There's a reason for everything."

"You died." Jason said. "I watched you die. I stayed there for five days trying to revive you, but you were dead. I know you were." His voice almost seemed angry.

Claire looked around. "Is there some place we can go that's bigger so we can talk? It would be best if you all sat down."

"My apartment." Amber offered. "It's better than this piece of crap anyway."

"This is Amber?" Claire asked while looking at me.

I shrugged. "She didn't used to be this way."

"You're right. Then I met you."

There was the feeling of a knife in my stomach and someone was slowly twisting it. Then I realized the person twisting it was Amber. I fought the instinct to fight back against the pain and bit my tongue.

"Consider yourself lucky to be alive seeing as I saved your little life." I replied with a smirk. I immediately regretted saying it, but Amber just laughed.

"Who said I wanted to live?"

"That's right. I'm sure you wanted to die in the arms of some stranger like a whore. Oh that's right. You are one."

"Look in the mirror before you start judging my dating life."

I glared at her. "I haven't been that boy in a long time. I grew up."

She laughed again.

I took a step toward her, my whole body shaking. I didn't know what had come over me but I felt like a puppet with someone else controlling the strings. I had no idea why but I felt a threat coming from her and my first instinct was to take out any threat to my family.

Skylar came between us and pushed me back. "Save it for Dr. Phil, kids. Let's go." He opened to door and turned to Amber. "Lead the way."

Amber snorted and pushed off the bed. She held onto the side of the bed since she began to wobble when she stood up. My first reaction was to help her and when I grabbed her arm she looked at me with the warm eyes I used to know. Until they glazed over with the hatred I'm beginning to discover. She jerked her arm away and pushed passed me to leave my room.

Something about her was bugging me and it wasn't just her attitude. She smelled different than before and I _felt _something, but I didn't know what it was.

I noticed there was a hand on my back leading me out the door and I realized it was Claire, who was searching for something in my face but I didn't know what. She just smiled and continued walking with me like I had known her all my life.

Had I known then what she was trying to hide about Amber maybe I would've been able to help and stop what was eventually to come.

"This is nice." Taylor said sarcastically.

Inside Amber's apartment I'm sure that it had once been nice. Now there were beer bottles and cans everywhere, white powder all over the floor and a smell of smoke that I knew was pot. So she wasn't just a whore, ladies and gentlemen! She's a crack head too! Scattered across the floor were bags from gas stations and I'm sure if I lifted them up there would be bugs in them. Fantastic. Also throughout the room were various chairs that looked as if they would break if one tiny feather touched them.

I looked at Amber and as it turned out she was looking at me too. Her face seemed ashamed when she looked at me for just moment, then she cleared all emotions from her expression except anger.

"Okay, we're here. Where's the stupid story?" Amber said. She crossed her arms and sat down on her bed. Dust flew into the air as if she hadn't laid on it in a long time. An unopened condom wrapper fell to the floor. And if I thought my heart couldn't rip down the middle anymore, I was terribly wrong. I shuddered from the pain as my chest exploded. My first reaction was anger.

"Shut up, you stupid little slut. You don't talk to my mother like that. Got it?" my voice trembled with anger and it sent a slap to Amber's face. She sucked in a sharp breath and looked at me with confused eyes. She closed them and glared at me.

"So you finally grew a spine did you?"

"Enough." Carlisle spoke so softly that we both grew quiet. His gentle voice sent a stilling calm and silence through the room. "Claire?"

Claire nodded. "You might want to sit down."

Everyone glanced at the broken chairs. Jason, Skylar, Taylor, and I sat on the bed, Cody Walls sat in a chair, but I think he used his gift to keep it from caving in on him, and Syd, Ben, Nick, Angel sat on the floor by the bed and leaned against it. All the Cullens, except Edward, sat by the wall farthest from the door. It was also the only spot by any wall that was somewhat clean. Trevor stood by the door, his eyes not leaving Claire as he glared at her. Amber sat in a chair and took out a lighter and a cigarette. We all stared at her as she lit it.

"What are you freaks looking at?" she rolled her eyes and pretended that we weren't there.

Suddenly her cigarette flew from her hand and was crushed into thousands of pieces of ash. Cody shrugged his shoulders when we looked at him. "My uncle died of lung cancer. No smoking." The way he said it gave Amber no room for response. She just huffed and folded her arms across her chest.

We all looked at Claire then, waiting for her to begin.

Claire took a deep breath and began. She started exactly where she did with me five years ago. She told about how Alice came to her with the vision about how I wasn't going to live and how she had to change her plans just so I could live. She said how she had to die and come back for me to live so the Volturi couldn't kill me and how she went to Cody to ask for help. Then she said she spoke to Edward, Syd and Angel about her plan and that they were the only ones who knew the truth about her death. It got ugly.

"You knew!" Jason bellowed. "You knew she was alive and you didn't tell me! How could you!" once they got him to calm down Claire explained the rest.

She moved on to that she had to keep an eye on me without anyone knowing she was alive so the Volturi wouldn't come and investigate so she had to join them. She told them that she lived with them for the whole thirty-four years she was gone trying to make sure that her family and the Cullens stayed off their radar. She said how she tricked them into thinking she was back for good and when word came that she had a kid she made sure that they thought nothing of it. Claire smiled when she said that her plan worked.

She stopped when she got to the part about the will. "Cody asked me to make a Will for you guys to make things more final I guess. I wrote sloppy to make it seem like I was writing it when I was hurt." She glanced at Jason, who cringed. "When I gave him the letter I realized my mistake. I wrote about Jane killing your father, Jason, which hadn't happened yet. So I called Angel and told her to get me there."

She said how she went there to make sure none of them figured out the mistake and once she was sure her secret was safe she asked Angel to get her out of here. Then she said how distracted she became in Italy after seeing all of us and that she came to a basketball game and somehow I changed her.

"Changed you?" Skylar asked.

"Jonathan and Jason are more powerful than they realize. Jonathan couldn't shape shift correctly because he wasn't one animal at heart. His gift as a vampire is being able to shape shift into anything he puts his mind to. When he tried to phase he felt a pull in different directions because he didn't have a clear mind set. When he phased that first time while trying to protect Amber he had a clear picture of what he wanted to be and he became it."

"That was you?" I stood up from my seat.

Claire nodded. "I was also that girl in your dreams."

I remembered the girl in the dreams that was trying to get me to work it out with Jason. That was Claire?

"How?"

"Cody." She looked down. "He helped me with a lot of things actually. But back to the point. His other gift is that not only can he make himself into anything, but he can change how other people look too. When he saw me at that basketball game he didn't believe that it was me so his mind changed how I looked and in the next second I was a completely different person. It's a more powerful gift that I think any of you realize."

Jason leaned forward. "So then what's my gift if were both so powerful?" his words were harsh and cracked like a whip.

Claire flinched and moved on. "You don't have one. Look, the reason you two look exactly alike isn't because Jonathan is your son. It's because a piece of you lives in him. I know that's hard to understand, but if you two would just stop fighting all the time then you could see how powerful you both are when you work together. You could destroy the Earth and create it all over again if you both really wanted to. Jason is the brains while Jonathan is the muscle. That's how you two are supposed to work together.

"Do you remember the time when Cody showed up while Amber and Jonathan were alone in a car on a highway? And how when you showed up he got scared? It's because he knows how powerful you two are together and that you could destroy him without lifting a finger. Even he knew it then."

Jason snorted. "Right now I don't care about gifts. All I care about is that you lied. You were alive and I went for years thinking that my son killed you."

Claire shook her head. "He didn't. I chose to die. Jonathan had nothing to do with it. That's pretty much it. I died for Jonathan and I came back for both of you and my family. Without me the Volturi would have killed you years ago. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I couldn't. I had to stay with them so all of you could live. Don't you see that?"

"No. All I see is that the love of my life is a liar."

"I'm not a liar!"

"Oh yeah?" Jason smirked. "How about when you lied about how you were changed?"

Claire fell silent.

"So it's the truth. You lied about it and Cody pretended to be the bad guy to help you."

Still Claire said nothing.

"He didn't rape you did he?"

"No." Her voice was small.

"So what else have you lied about, Claire? That you love me?" Jason yelled.

Claire stood up and her voice was raised. "Of course not! In case you just missed my entire explanation I _died_ for you. I wouldn't do that for someone I didn't love."

"Well I wouldn't lie to someone I loved either. Next you're going to tell me that the time in the desert wasn't the first time you've seen Cody in four thousand years." Jason looked at her, his eyes begging her to tell him wrong, but she didn't speak, confirming that he was right.

"Unbelievable." He walked to the door. "I was right wasn't I? The night you told me how Vampires came to be. I was right when I said that you still love Cody."

"Jason." Claire pleaded. "Just listen to me."

"You didn't die for me. You died to get away from me and be with your precious Cody." Jason opened the door and began to walk out.

"You may be alive, but you're still dead to me, Claire Emerson." Jason slammed the door when he left.

I just sat there, not knowing how to process all that just happened. Everyone looked around at each other too, looking for answers. Claire just stared at the door, a tear falling from her cheek. I didn't know how to respond to any of this. It was too much to handle.

Carlisle spoke up. "You said Jonathan had dreams?"

"I knew Jason and Jonathan were fighting and I was hoping that if they worked it out they would see how much power they actually have together."

"And you came to see him?" he questioned further.

Then I told him about all the times I saw her. When I was fighting Cody, when the human part of me died how she saved me, how I saw her in a field while staring at Amber's window at night, and how I saw her that day that two girls said I was cheating on Amber with them. I told them about how I followed her and spoke with her and I even put in a few extra details that she missed that she talked about. I told them that she told me the exact same thing otherwise and asked me not to tell yet because it wasn't time. I even confessed that that was the reason that Jason and I fought. He could smell her and I was lying to him and he got angry. It seemed to click for them about why I attempted suicide.

"I never meant for that to happen. I'm so sorry, Jonathan." Claire looked at me with eyes that were filled with pain. I smiled at her and told her that it's okay.

"I didn't die so no harm done." I winked at her.

"You people can leave now. I'm tired of listening to your drama." Amber said sleepily.

So we moved off her bed and once Amber was asleep I kissed her forehead and told her goodnight. We shut the door and I sat on the sidewalk.

"I'll stay here. I cleaned out her room for drugs so I'm sure she'll get up and try to get some more." I explained.

"She won't take 'no' for an answer, Jonathan." Carlisle said. "She'll fight hard."

I laughed. "I'll make sure she doesn't ever do drugs again. I can handle it."

All of them except Claire left.

"Do you hate me?" she asked quietly.

There was a cool breeze as the sun slowly dipped down under the horizon. "No." I finally answered. "You're my mom. You died for me and I love you for it."

Claire smiled, and then the smile melted away. "I wish your father felt the same way."

"Jason's been a real dick lately anyway. He's just hurt. He'll come around." My words seemed to calm her.

"I hope you're right, Jonathan."

"Always am."

Claire laughed for a few minutes after that.

"Goodnight, Jonathan." Claire said after she kissed my head. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you so much."

"Goodnight, mom. I love you too."

I didn't know then how wrong I was about Jason and how whether he forgave her affected if Claire lived or didn't.

_**Sorry it's been so long. Please review!**_


	15. Chapter 14: Addicted

14. Addicted

Amber gave Jonathan a glare. "I don't see why you have to baby sit me. I'm twenty-three, not four."

Amber sat cross legged on her bed while Jonathan stood at the door with his eyes not leaving her for a second. Though she could never show it, she enjoyed his presence. She yearned for him to come over and just touch her maybe for only a fleeting second, but she played her part well and she knew Jonathan wouldn't come near her if she didn't ask for it. It seemed like the only reason he was here was to keep an eye on her.

"You're a drug addict that almost died a week ago. I think you need to be watched." He snapped at her. She sighed and looked away. He was in so much pain because of her and she was the only one who could heal him.

She kept on her angry mask in spite of what her heart wanted to her to do. "_I_ think I can handle myself. I've been alive for five years now haven't I? And besides I don't want your help."

He snorted. "You've made that very clear, but I'm not giving up on this." He folded his arms and gave her a look that told her the conversation was over.

Amber gazed at him. He was a lot different from the last time she saw him. His golden blonde hair was a tint darker with brown streaks in his blonde curls. His face looked harder like he was hiding more secrets and emotions than he let on. His blue eyes weren't as bright and eager as they had been-instead they looked dull and lifeless. His stance made her know that his guard was way up and that nothing was getting past him. At the same time he looked exhausted. Dark circles were under his eyes even though he didn't need sleep. Something about it made her think it was her fault for all of this change in him and she was sure she was right.

He caught her gaze and his eyes narrowed into little slits that made her chest clench. With his face angry like that the scars from his attempted suicide became more prominent. His perfect skin was still covered with those jagged lines that were too deep to completely heal. The day she saved him was still a blur and she had no idea how it all even happened. She wondered-

"Amber?"

Her mind snapped back to the present. Amber put on her mask before she answered. Her voice was thick with attitude. "What?"

"I asked you a question." Jonathan's reply was soft. Whatever he had asked her meant something to him.

"Apparently I didn't hear it or I would have answered by now, stupid." She rolled her eyes and pretended not to see the way her words cut him.

He laughed without humor. His guard, which had dropped for just a moment, slid back up and his nostrils flared. "Why do you act like this? You used to be so-"

"Sweet and kind and naïve?" she snapped.

"Yes. I mean no. Just the sweet and kind part. You were so different, Amber. This isn't you." His voice was gentle as his eyes locked with hers. There was such compassion and love and sympathy in his eyes that it overwhelmed her. Why does he have to do this? she thought. Why can't he just accept that I don't love him? She almost laughed. She knew Jonathan. He was stubborn and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Well here's a news flash, pretty boy, you're not you either."

He seemed taken aback. "Yeah, I've changed. For the better. You got worse."

"Are you sure?" her eyes slid from his feet to his face and she gave him a seductive look. "The boy from Ohio would've _loved_ a girl like me. No strings attached. Easy."

"And the girl from Ohio would've hated who she is now. I'd rather have her."

"Well she's gone. That weak girl isn't coming back."

He was next to her in a flash. "Is that what you think you were? Weak? Amber, you were anything but weak. You were so strong. Strong enough to change back into the person I used to be."

Amber froze. He was so close to her. She could feel the heat coming off of his body, along with the freezing cold. She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe. She just wanted to touch him. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted him. Every part of her wanted him back. She was so close to just telling him the truth in that moment, but the thought of Cody killing him was plastered in her mind.

But then it hit her.

All of this was because she couldn't have Jonathan if Cody couldn't have Claire. Well Claire is alive and Cody said he knew all about it. So he knew the whole time…

Anger flared inside her. All this time he was lying to her. Claire's alive! He can have her! Why can't she have Jonathan? Her vision went red and she had the taste of hot metal in her mouth. Cody was a monster. That was reason enough. He couldn't stand anyone being happy because he could never be happy himself. She felt like storming out of there and confronting Cody. She felt like giving him the finger and shoving him off a cliff. She wanted him to suffer the way Jonathan had and the way she had. She wanted him to burn in hell.

But she knew that it wouldn't happen. Even if she somehow got past one of the strongest creatures on the planet, which wasn't possible seeing as she was only human, how would she do all those things to Cody? He was in control. He knew that, she knew that. He could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. This was his world.

Her anger died just as suddenly as it came. She could do nothing about this. Cody was going to torture her until the day she died. Or until she couldn't take it anymore and spilled the secret which would end in Jonathan's death. It would all be her fault. And she couldn't do that. She couldn't be the reason he died. She had to hold her tongue. She just had to.

"I was weak. You threw me into a world I wasn't ready for and a world I didn't want to be in. I've told you all this before. Just do both of us a favor and get over me. I'm tired of you drooling all over me." it took all her will but somehow she was able to scoot away from him. "It's over." She kept her voice hard and let the anger from a moment ago leak into her words.

He looked away from her. His body shook a few times until his body stiffened again.

She wondered how many times she could break his heart.

It was an hour later when the addiction started to creep up on her. Amber felt this urge that she needed cocaine. That she needed pot or weed. She felt a drive in her to get this stuff. Her mind became fuzzy and all she could see was her drugs.

Amber looked around. Jonathan was sprawled out on her bed with his mouth hanging open. Soft snores escaped his mouth and she smiled at the sight. His sleep was the only place she thought he could be himself. She remembered the dream she had with Jonathan and she was unsure how it had happened, but she knew it was real. She had tried to tell Jonathan the truth and he either still believed it was a dream or couldn't remember. Both were highly logical. She was tempted to fall asleep next to him again, but the urge to get high overtook her actions and she found herself in the bathroom next to the heating vent.

She knew Jonathan had probably searched the house and cleaned her whole place out of drugs, but she was sure he had to have of missed the stuff in the vent. The vent, which she discovered a day after she moved in, didn't work. The air actually sucked in instead of out, which kept the sent from escaping. She was sure it was still here and her thoughts were rewarded when she cracked the vent open. The bag of cocaine was still there. She snatched the piece of straw and sprinkled some of the white powder on a small compact mirror from her makeup bag.

"Do you really want to do that?" a harsh voice said, making her jump. She spun to see Jonathan in the doorway. The way he looked at her made her feel like dirt. She felt so low and knew that she was better than this, but she _needed_ this. It was the only way she forgot all the lies and pain. It made her feel better for a while.

Amber pounced on the drugs in hope that she could get just a sniff on the cocaine, but Jonathan was even faster. Before she even moved her had his arms around her, pulling her struggling body from the bathroom.

* * *

Amber was stronger than I remembered.

I awoke to hear Amber in the bathroom. At first I had no worries because I thought she needed to go to the bathroom, but when I heard the clang of metal and her shuffling in a bag, I shot to the door. I opened the door quietly, hoping she was just looking for toilet paper or something, but instead I found her next to the heating vent with a bag of what looked like cocaine sprinkled on a small mirror. How did I miss that one?

So I stood in the doorway and said, "Do you really want to do that?"

Amber nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned around to see me and her face fell. She averted her eyes form me as I looked at her with disappointment. I hated seeing her like this knowing that I put her there. I put her in so much pain that she left and she never recovered. Now she was a druggie and couldn't stop. Sometimes I could really hate myself.

I saw Amber's eyes go to the drugs and before she reacted I lunged at her and grabbed her shoulders. Amber went wild. She kicked and yelled and fought hard to loosen my grip. I dragged her out of the bathroom and tossed her on the bed. As soon as I let go and she jumped off the bed and flung herself at me, catching me off guard. She was able to push past me and scramble back into the bathroom. At the last second I grabbed her ankle as she reached for the door, which made her fall on her knees. I yanked on her legs and pulled her towards me. She then swung her leg around and knocked me in the head. She crawled into the bathroom and shut the door. I heard the _click_ of a lock.

I laughed loudly. I leaned my head against the door. "Do you think a silly lock can stop me from coming in?"

Amber cursed. I heard more shuffling and the breaking of glass. I shoved the door open with just a flick of my wrist and grabbed Amber from the room. She thrashed violently in my arms and it was only by the will of God that I was able to keep hold and not let go when her flailing limbs hit me in the groin. She may be a human and I may be a Vampire, but it still hurts. Unbelievably it didn't hurt her in the slightest though I'm sure she tried to kick as hard as she could. And for a girl that looked like an anorexic, she kicked _hard._

As she struggled we landed on her bed where I was able to flip on top of her and hold down her arms. I held her too skinny wrists together in my left hand and I opened the top drawer on her nightstand, looking for something to hold her down. The top drawer was full on condoms-some of them used which hurt as well as grossed me out. I mean who keeps used condoms?-so I quickly shut the drawer and went on to the next one. Slightly disturbed, I picked up a pair of handcuffs covered in pink fuzz. I gave Amber a disgusted look while trying to pretend it didn't hurt as much as it did to picture Amber in here with other men, and then put a handcuff on each arm and hooked it to the bed.

I jumped from the bed as soon as I was sure each handcuff was latched securely. Amber squirmed and hopelessly tried yanking the cuffs from the headboard for about an hour. At first she tried to plead with me to let her go and tried to sound all nice and innocent. When I didn't agree to let her have drugs she started to shout at me. She started with how I killed my mom, how my dad hates me, how that I'll never be what I want to be, and that I could never be happy again. When she saw that I just laughed it all off she said something that really ate at me.

"I wish I had let you burned in that barn." Amber said the words with such a straight face and such a sure voice that I couldn't doubt the words she said.

At that moment I just couldn't take it. I grabbed my jacket and left her apartment, slamming the door as I leave. As I walked the sun was slowly dipping under the horizon, causing the clouds to turn a bright shade of orange, pink and red. I walked down the street and let the cool breeze of night hit my face. It was slightly warmer since summer was only a month away, but still spring-like. I kept walking until the sun completely disappeared from the sky and the blue was turning into a deep black. Once it was dark I took off running at inhuman speeds, dodging cars on the street as I ran through them. I stopped when I was at least twenty miles out of Colorado. My thoughts were pounding so hard in my head I couldn't even remember which direction I went in so I had no clue what state I was in.

How could Amber say that? Did she really hate me so much that she wished I was dead? Had I really hurt her so badly that she hated me _that_ much? I thought things had gone better. I was showing her how much I cared about her. I had poured out my heart to her each night and every time I had told her I loved her was completely the truth. Each kiss, each touch, each word was said from the bottom of my heart and I meant every word of it. How could she not believe it? Had she thought that I was fooling her? Had someone told her I was cheating on her? Did I really drag her into my world forcefully? If so why hadn't she left earlier? She seemed fine with it at the time. Was there someone else?

I paused midstride at the thought. Was there someone else that she hadn't told me about and she thought treated her better? Did she like him better because he was human? Is that what she wanted? A human boyfriend? Is that why she left?

My limbs became alive then. I turned around into a dead sprint back to where I came from. I needed the truth. Is that why Amber didn't want me? I had to know.

* * *

Cody Evans laughed.

"What is it, baby?" Claire Emerson asked.

He turned to see the most beautiful creature walk towards him with a flirty smile dancing on her face. But even under the pretty face he could see the monster raging inside her. The Vampire was growing stronger though Claire still couldn't feel it. He was going to have to kill her in the end, but not until his revenge on Jason for taking her from him in the first place. It was his fault this was happening. If she hadn't of met him, she wouldn't have had Jonathan and she wouldn't have died. His entire fault.

"Your son."

Claire raised her eyebrows in question.

"He doesn't understand that his addiction to the Witch is going to be the reason they all die."

She threw her head back and laughed. "My idiot of a son inherited his father's smarts, which are very lacking."

"Just as long as he stays distracted by her."

Claire smiled deviously. "Who can resist a pretty drug?"


	16. Chapter 15: Games

15. Games

"How do you propose we kill Claire? If the Vampire is as strong as you say it is then how is it possible for her to die?" Aro questioned Cody.

They both sat in the large furnished room in Russia. A cool breeze was blowing through the windows.

"For the time being she has control of the Vampire's brute strength. But it's slipping away from her grasp. The longer we wait, the more human she becomes and therefore, more venerable." Cody leaned back in the red, velvet chair. He put his hands behind his head. He wished to God that he didn't have to do this, but he knew he couldn't risk the Nephilim race coming back.

"So how long should we wait?"

Cody shook his head. "If we wait too long then the Vampire will become too strong. If we go too early then Claire will be able to fight us off, especially with her family by her side. We've got to do it sometime in the middle."

"Her family? Bloody hell. How can we get past them?"

There was a small laugh from Cody. "Don't worry about the family. I've got that under control." He got up from his chair and went to close the window. "Right now Jason is furious with Claire because she lied. His pride will be his weakness. Jonathan will be torn between his parents, but he'll be too focused on little Amber to really pick a side. Skylar's unsure because he trusts Claire with his life, but she lied. Taylor will stand by Skylar and the rest will follow them. Edward wouldn't put his daughter in any kind of harm and since they know Claire is still in love with me, and then she and I can harm her. The wolf pack will follow Edward in protecting the human-vampire and the Cullens will follow Edward. Right now I've just got to cause more rebellion from Claire and then that will be solved."

Aro seemed unsure still. "Won't she figure out that you're behind the separation of her family?"

"She already knows. What she doesn't know is that I'm going to use it to kill her. She's going to pretend that she wants her family back and I'll make sure she doesn't. She wants them all dead remember? Once she kills them, I'll kill her. Plain and simple."

"How are you going to kill her?" Aro still wasn't real keen on betraying Claire like this. She was going to find out somehow. She was going to kill them both slowly. He was sure of it. This was going to backfire on them all.

"I'm _Cody Evans._ I can do whatever the hell I want."

"So then how are you going to cause 'more rebellion'?"

"I really don't have to. Jonathan and Jason, who have the power to wipe me from the planet if they were smart enough to band together, listen to Claire when she tells them too much, are going to end up be the reason they all die. Jason is going to drive away the two things that could save their lives with his pride and Jonathan is going to be preoccupied with Amber once I give her a few more orders." Cody laughed cruelly.

For some reason Aro thought this was all going to come back and bite them in the butt. In the end he was right, but there was nothing he could have done about it.

* * *

The door slammed when I punched it open.

Amber jumped slightly, but there was also a look of relief on her face. My heart stopped when I thought she was worried about me, but it was squashed, yet again, when she said, "_Finally._ Can you get me out of these things so I can go to the bathroom?" she motioned to her wrists.

Of course, I thought. All she cared about was herself these days.

I swallowed the words I was about to speak and instead said something completely different. "I think I'll let you squirm for a while actually." I knew it wasn't right, but no matter how nice I was to her, she just came back with a heart-breaking, knife-twisting-in-the-gut comment. I could only take so much.

She shrieked in rage. "Get me off! Right now!"

"I can't hear you." I sang, teasing her.

"Jonathan Charles Greenfield!"

I snickered at her. "Sorry, you're not my mom. In fact you've made it quite clear that you're not my anything. So hush."

For a split second I felt the air stop and everything freeze, but in the next moment everything seemed normal again. I looked at Amber, who was watching me with utter disbelief.

"What?"

* * *

Jonathan froze in the moment. She leaned forward, thinking that this was a joke, but Amber realized he wasn't moving a bit. The air stood still. She craned her head to peak out the window and realized that even the cars weren't moving. What the hell? she thought.

"Miss me?"

Amber twisted to see Cody leaning in the doorway with a devious smile. His eyes looked over her and she shifted uncomfortably. She realized shortly after that Cody had frozen time.

"Not at all." she glared at him. In fact she didn't miss him at all. He was the reason she was addicted to drugs. He was the reason she couldn't be with Jonathan. He was the reason they all hurt so much. It was his fault for everything.

"Ahh you're angry that I lied to you." He stepped slowly over to her with ease. Cody sat on the bed next to her and put his arm around her. She tried to move away, but she was cuffed to the bed. There was no way she could move.

"You said it was because you couldn't have Claire. Well you have her! Let me be with him!"

"You can."

Amber was floored. Did he really just say she could be with him? A huge smiled cracked on her face and she felt so alive and relieved than she had in five years. But it fell quickly when she realized it was too good to be true.

"What's the catch?"

Cody clapped his hands together. "Glad you asked. Option A: you could tell him the truth and be with him for one fleeting moment and then I will kill him."

"Option B?" she asked in a small voice, knowing that she could never agree to option A.

"You could be with him somewhat. You don't tell him the truth, but you sleep with him, have your fantasies that nothing is wrong between you two, blah blah blah, but keep up the charade. When he tells you he loves you, just laugh. Tell him that this is only for your personal enjoyment, Amber. Tell him that he still means nothing to you. But for every night you can pretend that you both are in pure bliss."

"Neither! Both of those options are total BS." Amber folded her arms in defiance.

Cody grabbed her face and brought her close to him. His breath was cold as it washed over her skin. She shivered in fear when his red eyes locked with hers. He looked so scary to her.

"How about I choose for you?" his voice was low and threatening. "It would make job a whole lot easier if I just killed the boy." He nodded to himself. "Yes I like that idea." Cody got up and made his way to the door.

She panicked. She couldn't let him kill Jonathan. But on the other hand how could she do that to him? She just wanted to break down and cry.

"Cody wait." She begged. "Option B."

"I knew you'd play along. Have fun with your boy toy tonight." He gave her a wink and opened the door to leave.

"I'm tired of playing games, Cody."

"The games almost over, love." He turned around and put a bag of white powder under the mattress. "You're welcome."

Once Cody left Amber felt the air move. Jonathan turned to look at her like he was starting to before Cody froze time. He seemed to notice a slight change, but his eyebrows crinkled when he saw my face.

"What?"

Amber took a deep breath, still not believing she was really about to do this. How could she sink this low? How could she do this to him? When she opened to mouth she chickened out and asked, "Can I go to the bathroom?"

Surprisingly he let her out of the cuffs and let her go to the restroom. He followed her and sat down on the ledge of the sink.

Amber gave him a glare. "A girl can't get some privacy?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not that stupid."

When she was done she walked back into her bedroom. Jonathan followed her. She put her mask on and put on a seductive face. "Come here." She curled her index finger.

His face was puzzled.

Amber smiled encouragingly. "I have to warn you, Jon, I don't love you. I'm lonely. I'm doing this for my own personal pleasure and nothing more."

* * *

I just stood there.

Amber began to peel off her robe that Carlisle gave to her after checking her out. I felt my eyes slide over her half naked body. In that moment I wanted her so badly. I knew this meant nothing to her, but it meant everything to me. The pleasure wouldn't last forever, but maybe for just a moment I could pretend that we were in love.

So I let Amber put her hands on my shoulder. I let her press her body against mine. I let her lips touch mine. I let her drag me to her bed. I knew that the hurt and heart ache were waiting for me in the morning, but for now I had a chance to love Amber and that was everything to me, even if all was just a big game to her.


	17. Chapter 16: The start

16. The start

Randy Miles facial expression came across as confused. "So let me get this straight." He scratched the back of his head before he turned his head toward me. "You slept with her? Even though you knew it wasn't real?"

I sighed. How could I explain this to him so that he would understand? Amber was everything to me. If she wanted me to go jump off a cliff for her I would do it. Granted in probably wouldn't kill me, but if even if it would I still would do anything for her. To me it didn't seem so crazy-okay it did a little-but no one but me could get how much I loved her.

"I'd do anything for her Randy. Amber is…was my whole world. Can you blame me for wanting a piece of that world back even for just one night?"

After I had slept with Amber I awoke to her sitting in a fragile chair smoking pot. In a flash of fury I smacked the cigarette out of her hand and threw her on the bed.

"Don't you see what this is doing to you?" I screamed at her. She cringed. "Look in the mirror, Amber! Your skin is a pasty white, I can see your ribs through your shirt and this _shit_-" I pointed to the cigarette I squished under my foot- "will rot your teeth. Do want to be thirty and have no teeth? If you even live that long! If you keep doing this you'll die by twenty-six." I walked over to the door. "And you know what? No one is going to notice you're gone. No one will care. What's another dead hooker?" I slammed the door when I walked out.

I knew most of my anger that I let out was from last night. I let myself believe Amber loved me and when I woke up my dream shattered. With my anger soothed all I could do now was hurt. I knew that this would come, but somehow it was worth it. Amber was good at her job and made me believe she loved me. She even said my name. Though the hurt was killing me inside, I can't regret what we did.

The walking helped. The morning air was cool and crisp against my face. The sun was just coming up and the sky was painted with a light purple and pink. Not many people were out on the sidewalk, not that it would have mattered anyway, but it was nice to be alone. It gave my mind room to think and it gave me space. The anger I had at Amber was dangerous and I got worked up again I could really hurt someone, which was not what I wanted at all.

What I really wanted to do was talk to someone. I scanned through the people I knew and immediately crossed out my family. They loved me, some of them anyway, and wanted the best for me, but I couldn't tell them about what I just did. They would be disappointed. Maybe Jason would be able to understand, but I doubt he wanted to talk about girl issues when his dead wife wasn't really dead. The only other person I had left was Randy Miles or Liam Hart. Liam didn't know the whole story, but maybe he could talk some sense into Amber about her life. After I thought about it I decided that it wasn't a good choice. I would be dragging Liam into my world and that's not something I wanted to do. Besides, I heard he had gotten married to Chelly, his high school sweet heart, and was doing fine. All that left was Randy.

Randy's phone had a call-back ringtone with the familiar song "Knee Deep" by the Zac Brown Band that came out over twenty years ago. He was a sucker for the classics. It always amused me when I called him because I never took Randy for a country type of person. It went through the chorus twice before I heard his voice on the other end of the line.

"Jon?" Randy was confused by the sound of his voice, and maybe a touch angry. I couldn't blame him. I took off suddenly after telling him my life story and told him he couldn't come along. What kind of friend am I? Though at the time I didn't know what was waiting for me so I wasn't sure if it was safe for him to come along. Now I'm still not so sure. Nothing about any of this feels right.

"Hey." I paused before I went on. I intended to apologize to him and tell him what a jerk I was to just leave and that I really needed my best friend. I planned to do whatever it took to get him to forgive me and give some much needed advice. But Randy beat me to it. I didn't know if he heard something in my voice that showed him how much I needed him or that he was worried about me, but whatever it was I was thankful for.

"Where are you?"

I sucked in a deep breath of relief when he asked that. I wasn't alone after all. I smiled. "I'm in Colorado. Look if I came to your house tonight and picked you up would you come with me?" I would have understood if he said no. He's a senior. He has college and a life to think about. Not to mention Lacey. But Randy astounded me again.

"I'll be ready in five minutes." He simply told me.

"I'll be there in an hour. My car's not that fast."

I could almost hear his smile on the other end of the phone. "I glad you're okay, or at least still alive."

"Me too."

He hung up.

It took about forty minutes to drive all the way from Colorado back to New York, which was actually pretty impressive. Of course I was probably going at least one-fifty the entire ride because I was too scared that taking my mustang to two-hundred might be pushing it. She may be a sport car, but she's not made to go that fast for so long.

Now we were driving back to Colorado with his suitcase full of clothes and other items safely secured in my trunk. While I drove I told him about everything that happened while I had been gone. I filled him in on my mother coming back and Jason's reaction to it. Even Randy was surprised that Jason wasn't jumping for joy when he saw her alive. I knew why he wasn't, but couldn't he be happy that she's alive, even though she may have lied to him about more than a few things? I even told him about how I found Amber and what she was like now. I compared her to how she used to be like and felt a wish inside me to go back in time and maybe change the one thing that changed everything, if I knew what it was.

This brings me back to asking Randy if he blamed me for my actions last night.

"I guess not." He answered. "But was it worth it?"

I thought carefully before answering. Was it? I thought it was, but now I felt a hollow feeling in my stomach that made me feel alone. Amber only did this for pleasure. I did it for love. It meant nothing to her while it meant everything to me. Was the pain and regret afterwards worth the slight joy I felt for a few hours?

"Kind of." I admitted. "You don't understand how _attached_ I am to her. For a couple of hours I'm back five years with Amber and everything is right. We're two kids in love and are facing the world together. I'd give anything to have that back. If pain is what it takes, even if the feelings are fake, I'll take it."

"I can't tell you what to do, Jon. If I told you to stop talking to her would you really do it?" Randy raised his eyebrows.

He was right. No matter what he told me, I'd still be with Amber, no matter how bad it is for me.

"I'd take you opinion into consideration." I tried to say it lightly, but I couldn't make a joke out of this. It was all too serious.

"You know the consequences of what you're doing, but you also know the rewards. It's your life, Jon. But if it was me still hung up on a girl like this and she was using me, I'd say move on. Of course I haven't been through what you have. I don't know how all of this affects your lifestyle. Just be careful."

Randy was exactly the person I needed to talk to. He gave me an unbiased perspective about my choices and then told me what he thought was best. My shoulders instantly felt better, thought I felt guilty that the weight on my shoulders wasn't gone, I just gave part of it to Randy to hold for me.

So that left me two choices, but I didn't really need to choose. I already knew the answer.

* * *

"You _told him!_" Claire shrieked. She could barely form words to speak. How dare he? He had no right to tell Jason anything of her past. It was _hers!_ She would tell it when she was ready. How could he do that to her?

Cody held his palms up in defensive, but his lips were pulled up in a smile. "It had to be done." His answer was short and simple with no remorse in his tone.

"'It had to be done'? _It didn't have to be done!_" Claire seethed. She could have ripped his throat out. This stunt of his would ruin everything she worked so hard for!

"Why are you so angry love? They were going to hate you in the end anyway."

She rolled her eyes. Of course he couldn't see it. He was clueless. He wouldn't have thought of this plan if it wasn't for her. And he still couldn't see that she knew everything. Her time dead wasn't used in waste.

"How can they trust me again if they all hate me?"

Cody took a deep breath. "They love you, whether they're angry at you or not. Once they get over this, the bond between you guys will be stronger than ever. That will make the betrayal even better."

Claire's eyebrows crinkled. She didn't think of that. "And if they don't? what if they don't forgive me? I know Jason. He won't forgive so easily. And the rest follow him."

"Then we kill them all." Cody's eyes grew bright. "Why don't we just do it now? Why do we need all of this dramatic ending crap?"

Claire narrowed her eyes at him. "We do it my way or no way at all."

The Vampire inside her body thrashed against the walls of her mind in protest.

* * *

Amber stared at the door where Jonathan went hours ago. She was waiting for him to come back. She wondered what would happen if he didn't. What would she do? What if she finally pushed him too far? She would die. The answer was so plain. She'd run from this place and she wouldn't look back. She'd take the drugs and put as much into her system as possible. This time Jonathan wouldn't be there so save her.

She sighed. She wouldn't do it. Jonathan would look for her. She knew him well enough. Whether he hated her on not, he wouldn't just let her walk out on him. He wouldn't let her die. He was too persistent for that.

A thought crossed her mind. The dream. Did he believe her? Did he remember? Or did he think it was just another dream from his fantasies? Did he understand? How could she know! It's not like she could ask him! That would kill him for sure. But why hadn't he said anything about it? Was it too painful for him to think about? Was it too good to be true for him? Of course it was. She was good at acting. He believed every word she said. And it killed her inside.

The sound of the door opening scattered her thoughts.

Her head snapped up. Jonathan walked in with a man she had never seen before. His hair was buzzed off and he looked short in comparison to Jonathan. He looked like he was still in high school with his round face. He was wearing sweatpants and a sweat shirt.

The man she didn't know let out a low whistle. "You weren't kidding. She looks awful."

She narrowed her eyes. She instantly didn't like him. Then she realized the way he was looking at her. He wasn't eyeing her with disgust, but rather with sympathy. He wasn't looking at her body, but rather what her body had been through. He didn't care what she looked like, he cared how she felt. She got all of that from his eyes. Suddenly she felt a little warmer inside.

"Carlisle has been giving her supplements to help get her back together. She's so drug filled that it's a miracle she's awake." Jonathan said to the man.

She eyed Jonathan. To anyone else he would appear strong and confident, but to her he looked weak and uncertain. His shoulders which normally were held high or shook with laughter were low. His face which was normally no bright it was like the sun was dark and damp with sadness. The rims of his eyes were purple from lack of sleeping and red from crying probably. He looked exhausted. How much more of this could he take before he gave up on her?

Panic filled her. Would he give up on her if she continued to be stubborn? She thought about it for a moment. She went to drugs to forget about Jonathan. Now she had him back. Cody said she had to keep up the charade, but he didn't say she had to stay the same person. Could she do it? Could she pretend to be two people? Would that keep him around? Amber guessed she would find out soon enough.


	18. Chapter 17: Pieces

17. Pieces

Amber quickly sat up straight and made a face at our arrival. "What are you two looking at? And who's this? Another one to tell me that when I die I won't be missed?" she glared at me.

Instantly fire seared through my chest. I hadn't meant to be so harsh. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt Amber. But she was killing me! How can such a sweet girl turn out like this? What could have hardened her heart to this magnitude? The slapped me in the face: me. Cody. The world. I shuddered from being compared with Cody.

Then it dawned on me. She cared about what I said to her. When she saw me first come in her eyes were cast down and unlit. Normally they were full of the rebellious fire, like they are now, but they weren't at first. My words had cut her somewhere. She still cared. It wasn't a lot. But it was enough.

Randy held his hands up with a grin. "No judgment. No negatives. Just friends." He smiled at her warmly. For some reason, as he said that, my stomach twisted. _No judgment._ That's exactly what I was doing wrong. I was judging her for who she is now and comparing her to who she was then. She made the exact same argument with me. She told me that I changed as well, that I wasn't the boy in Ohio anymore. That the guy then would've loved a girl like her. I told her I changed for the better while she got worse. She had the right to change too. Maybe that's why she resisted me so. All I had to do was accept who she was, not try to change her, and maybe she would change herself.

She raised one eyebrow, but shrugged her shoulders and crossed her legs on the bed. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your cute friend?" her voice purred. She even winked at him. I felt my jealousy spike.

"Randy miles." He reached his arm out to shake her hand. She eyed the arm like he was handing her a rubber chicken filled with potato salad and declined. He rubbed his pants after looking at me, at a loss.

"The only touch she likes is sexual these days. If your pants aren't off, she doesn't want anything to do with you." I said teasingly. Amber turned her head, but I saw her cheek rise in a smile.

He laughed. "Well it looks like we won't be too close of friends."

Amber rolled her eyes. "Keep the jokes coming. I've heard them all before, boys."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Randy switched his weight to his other food, a typical human move. I, on the other hand, stood as still as a marble statue. Amber looked between us from time to time, and sometimes I found her eyes on me. When I looked back at her she had a strange look on her face. Like she just told me something and I already forgot what we were talking about.

Forgot.

Why did that word ring in my head? It felt like the answer was on the tip of my tongue, but I just couldn't think of the right answer. What could I have forgotten? I racked my brain for anything that would allow me to remember the one thing to trigger my memory, but I had nothing. I'd remember it sometime. If I couldn't remember now then it shouldn't be that important anyway.

"Soooooo," she drew out the word, "What is next on the agenda?"

I tilted my head.

She gave an exasperated sigh and threw her hands in the air. "Look, Jonathan Charles Greenfield. I've been stuck in the damned apartment for weeks probably. I've been good. No drugs-well not a lot." She winked. "I've done what you said. I haven't put up a fight-or _too_ much of a fight. I wanna go out." The last sentence was almost a whine. She crawled off the bed and walked to me. She placed her hand in mine. "Please, Jonathan?"

I stared at her, blank. I found it hard to breathe while she was so close to me. The scent of her was clean. Her breath smelled like mint toothpaste and gum. The scent of her skin smelt like tanning oil. My mind immediately flashed to the first day I went to her house. She was lying outside, catching what rays she could. She was so beautiful lying there…

"Earth to Jonathan." Amber snapped her fingers in my face.

"Huh?" I asked stupidly.

"Let's go out."

To be honest, she could have said "Let's go jump into a lake of lava" and I would've agreed. To hear her say my name as sweetly as she did, to feel the touch of her warm, smooth hand against mine, the smell of her intoxicating me was enough to bring down all my defenses. For a moment the present didn't matter. All I saw was the two of us years ago, sitting in her room. All I could feel were our feelings for each other. All I could hear was "I love you". Without thinking, I leaned down close to her face and pressed my lips gently to hers.

At first she didn't respond. She stood there in shock. I let go of her hand and grabbed her hips, bringing her closer to me. She finally melted and put her arms around my neck. Her lips moved with mine. It wasn't like before, when we kissed. Instead it had this new edge to it. It had the edge of secrecy, the edge of desire. She was my burning desire, and right now I was on fire. Our skin burned together wherever we touched. I had never felt this before. Every wire in my body was on fire, coursing through my veins. Part of my heart pieced back together.

In rush of want, she grabbed two fistfuls of my hair and yanked me closer. Her body was completely pressed against mine like we were fused together into one person. I couldn't think. I could only feel and react.

She broke away for air, but my lips never left her skin. I trailed them down her neck. I felt her body shiver as I gently nipped her earlobe. I brought our lips back together in a hurry. I hadn't realized what I had been missing for so many years. How had I ever lived one day without this beautiful woman in my arms?

I kissed her gently, and then kissed her cheek. Our foreheads leaned against each other. Our breathing was short and we were both gasping for air. Our chests craved more air, but it seemed like they couldn't get enough.

She spoke softly then. "I love you."

My eyes opened wide with shock. She looked back at me with the same expression, except her eyes were full of fear.

I thought carefully for a moment and determined I had heard correctly, but I asked anyway.

"What did you say?"

* * *

_Stupid,_ Amber thought, _stupid, stupid, stupid!_

How could she be so careless? How could she have let that get out of hand? He caught her off guard, that was all. But yet there was so much more. She craved what he had given her. She craved the feeling of his skin against hers. Last night had felt amazing to her. She had never felt so happy in her life. She knew that she shattered Jonathan's world by doing this, but she was also selfish. The kiss though…it was strangely different. She felt the past slip away, the present, and the future. Between there was nothing. No pain, no remorse. All that was left was love and happiness. There was no room for anything different. How could she blame herself for reacting this way? To want to feel this way again?

The fear slowly crept in on her as Jonathan looked at her, clearly not understanding the danger she just put him in. then he asked her the impossible question.

"What did you say?" he put his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her eyes with a deep longing. He wanted her to say the words she wasn't allowed to say. He would kill him. Jonathan would die at his hands. But she couldn't lie to him. She was so fragile with her emotions that he would catch the lie in one second. She was caught between a rock and a hard place. There was no one she could do the impossible. She wasn't that good of an actress.

She turned and looked at Randy, pleading for help. But what could he do? She didn't know him. He didn't know her. He didn't even know what was going on. Amber was frantic, trying to find any answer to save her and him. But what could she do! She was out of options, and now she was out of time.

"Amber, what did you say?" Jonathan demanded. His grip on her loosened. The expression on his face wasn't what she expected. Something seemed to dawn on him, and whatever he figured out wasn't good. "You're a liar."

This took her off guard. "Excuse me?"

He left go of her and took a few steps back. "This was all a game wasn't it? The kiss? It was fake right? You know, I never thought of you as this cruel of a person. Now you tell me you love me and you don't mean it. This is all just a big joke to you!" his arms started shaking.

"No!" she begged, forgetting the alarm bells sounding in her head. "Jonathan, please, don't think like that."

"You don't care do you? You never did." His whole body seemed to vibrate.

"Of course I did! And I still do! Please don't give up on me!" a tear slowly slid down her cheek. "I'm trying." Her voice was slightly lower.

Jonathan's eyes softened a touch. He stopped shaking. He looked at her with a new look. This one held a face of deeper thought and concentration. Jonathan took a step towards her, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into him. His arms wrapped around her, hugging her tight to his body. She sobbed into his chest. He rubbed her hair, making a soothing noise and telling her that it was going to be okay.

And she finally believed that it was true.

"Why don't we go home?" he asked suddenly.

She rubbed her red eyes. "Home?"

He smiled at her. "Home."


	19. Chapter 18: Blood and Fire

18. Blood and Fire

I had collected everything in Amber's apartment, which wasn't much, and threw it into my car. It was a tight fit into the small trunk, but I somehow crammed her two pairs of jeans, three shirts, and her pajamas. I tossed all her skimpy outfits, "toys", and any drugs I found. I shook my head in disbelief in how much stuff she smuggled in from under my nose. How did she get it in here?

"Cody," she admitted when I asked her. I found new hatred of that monster every day. How could that man ever been kind enough to win over Claire? Was he really a nice person? If so, that was a long long time ago. Putting a girl almost over the edge with drugs is anything but nice.

I shut the trunk with more force than necessary and opened Amber's door. She slid into the seat easily. I could've shoved the entire seat up as far as it could go and she would still fit. She was so skinny. How she survived this long was beyond me. I walked in front of the car and got into the driver's seat. I heard the back door shut as well, telling me Randy was in. I started the car, revved the engine, and pulled away from the curb. Amber smiled.

"What?" I smiled in return.

She leaned her head back on the rest and closed her eyes. "You always rev the engine."

"Old habits die hard."

Amber laid like that the entire trip. Her lips would move sometimes. She was singing the songs on the radio I guess. I turned up the music until I couldn't hear her even if she spoke to me. Amber liked it this way I doubt that had changed. My mind wandered back to our "first date" in her truck. The radio turned up loud, her singing until I turned down the radio to hear her. Our first kiss. The hurt when she didn't believe me when I told her I loved her. Cody showing up in the middle of the street.

The speedometer inched past 120.

Cody. He was always there. I could never understand his weird obsession with Amber. Why he had to pick on us was a mystery. He knew Claire was alive. Why play this game? To get back at Jason? Me? Somehow I felt like this was bigger than just my father and I. it had something to do with Amber. But what? What interest does Cody have in her? She's only a little human. What can her gain from her? A memory snapped inside me. Amber's voice inside my head. Amber showing up at the fire when I tried to commit suicide. The fire somehow stopping with a scream from Amber. There was some connection, I was sure of it, but what?

Is Amber more than human? That would explain most of the weird things happening with her around. The more I thought about it, all of it seemed to happen under extreme stress. Amber's fear of me dying. Each time I heard her voice was when I was close to death or nearing death. Supernatural creatures first begin exerting their powers when they learn about this other world in the middle of the human world, and then when something powerful of harmful happens to them or someone they love. They act out in sheer power with no control. The only creatures I know of are Werewolves, Shape shifters, Vampires, and Pryor-Wolves. None of those match her. None of them age of suffer from human conditions. I racked my brain for fairytales that might fit, but I found nothing about people who can speak to people in minds and stop fires. Is she just a gifted human? Like a psychic? Possible, but can psychics do that kind of stuff? I've never heard of it. Of course I've never really paid attention to them. They're just humans who rip off people.

I glanced at Amber and saw that she was sleeping. Her face would never be so peaceful if she wasn't in slumber. I smiled, remembering how she looked when she slept so long ago in my arms. How she just curled into me, totally helpless, and lost to the world. I always pictured her dreams on the beach. She would lie on the sand and her already tan skin would get darker. Seagulls would chirp around her and the roar of the waves would lull her to sleep. I wish I could see her dreams.

Dreams.

A flash of green meadow came to mind, but it slipped away.

I groaned. Why was this so hard to remember? Normally my memory was flawless and accessible. What was holding back this one dream and why? I was starting to get angry. Was my memory slipping? What else would I forget?

Forget.

Amber's voice whispered in my head, but it too was gone before I could understand. I growled in anger. Why couldn't I remember?

I pushed my car past 140 and my car whined in protest.

My memory was the one thing I had, the one thing no one could mess with. It was the place I could escape to. It was the one place I could dream about a different life with my mom.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped.

"Jonathan?"

I relaxed, it was only Randy.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna slow down? I don't feel like dying today."

I looked at the speedometer. It read 185. My engine was making a weird noise, not used to going so fast. I let my foot off the accelerator and watched the arm fall back towards 110. Randy could deal with that much.

"Sorry. Wasn't paying attention."

I saw Randy lean back in his seat from my mirror. He was obviously more relaxed. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to soothe my muscles. Why did this bother me so much? So I couldn't place a memory. What was the big deal? I was probably thinking too much about it. Besides, one memory couldn't mean the world.

I flicked on my turn signal and my eyes flashed to Randy, who grinned with amusement. He knows I never use turn signals and that I was doing it for his sake. "Better?" I asked, a wry smile on my lips.

"Why yes, sir. On, Chives."

I shot him a look and made the turn. The road I was on led to a gated community. This made me laugh. A house full of vampires living in a neighborhood where there was tight security had to be some sort of joke.

Amber was awake now. She looked forward at the large cream houses that all looked the same. They all had the same number of windows, same cream color, same roof, driveway, and yard. It was like walking into the twilight zone.

I pulled up to the square building that was the check-in gate. I pulled up slowly and rolled down my window. A cool breeze washed through the car. A man walked up and slid his window open so he could speak to me.

"May I help you?" his voice was stiff. The man was middle aged, probably around thirty. He had curly brown hair that flipped up when it hit his ears. His face was hard and had sun spots, showing a life grown up in the sun. He seemed relatively short and a little overweight. Form the look on his face and his voice, I was sure the last thing he wanted to do was deal with what looked like some teenagers, or anyone for that matter.

"Yes." I told him, trying to be polite. I hated adults who thought they knew everything. "I want to go in." I wanted to roll my eyes. What else would I want?

"Name? Room number?"

"Jonathan Greenfield." I paused. For the first time I thought about my last name. I always went by Jason's last name, never once thinking about Claire's. I never thought to take the last name of a dead mother, but now I wish I had. I was more like her anyway, or so I have been told. But wasn't Claire's last name Greenfield? She married Jason. Well I guess she really didn't. She technically married Cody.

A thought hit me with the force of a bulldozer. Claire had to of had sex with Cody. I mean, she thought he was Jason, why wouldn't she? Something dawned on me right then and there. I may not be Jason's son. I could be Cody's. It almost made sense that way. The reason I was so strong, the reason I had Claire's eyes, the reason I had this gift to shape shift. Cody was in Jason's body. Jason's body had sex with Claire. It's obvious that I would look like him. I get the gift of a Werewolf from Jason, but the stronger ability to shift into anything from Cody. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like that was the truth. Cody's son. The very thought made my blood run cold. Did that made me a monster too? Can I get a test done, to prove who the real father is? An image of the show _Maury_ flashed in my mind. It was an old show, one where trashy people fought over who the dad was.

I immediately pushed the thought from my mind, but it slowly crawled back. I couldn't escape it. Images of Cody replaced Jason in my old memories. Us playing basketball, us visiting Claire's grave, him telling me stories of Claire, him showing me around the country as we travel from place to place. For a moment those pictures seemed real. Could I really be the spawn of the most powerful Vampire alive?

"Sir?" the impatient voice of the man brought me back to reality. I realized I had been holding my breath and I gasped for air. I felt like there was a hand clutching my windpipe, not allowing me to breathe. If I was completely honest, the thought of being Cody's child terrified me. It would mean he has more of a claim to me than I ever thought. The thought of him calling him _dad_ made me shiver.

I apologized to the man, who turned in disgust back to the computer. "Room number?" he repeated.

It took a moment to collect the thoughts, but I must have said the number because he began to type the number into the computer. He handed me a key and opened the gates. I didn't even react. I just took the key and drove through the open way. I had no idea who was in control of my actions, but somehow I was able to drive use to the building that was twelve houses down from the security building. I parked outside, but I didn't even realize anything. I was in another place, a place where Jason wasn't my father anymore, a place that seemed so impossibly real and close.

Amber slapped me.

* * *

Amber watched Jonathan closely. Something was bothering him, she could tell that from a mile away. Figuring out what was bugging him was a whole other process. No matter how well she knew him, she could never guess what was going through his head. His head was always his safe place. He told her that once, one night so many years ago that felt like a lifetime.

He was so normal, maybe a little ticked at the man, but that's normal. Jonathan hated people exactly like this. This didn't shock her. No, the problem happened after he said his name. He hesitated after that, looking into space as he normally did when in deep thought. His face fell after that as he seemed to realize something. What that something was she didn't know, but it had to be big. Jonathan froze for five minutes, lost to this world. He seemed a million miles away from her. What could be affecting him so?

Amber thought about his name. What's so important about his name? Jonathan is the name his mother gave him, but what could make him think so much about it? The fact that his mother's now alive? The fact that she lied to save him? She skipped over that answer because it didn't feel right. It had to be something deeper so she moved on to his last name. What was so special about Greenfield? It was his father's last name. She searched her head for anything that could have set off alarm bells, but she found nothing. Whatever was going on in his head was a mystery to her.

Jonathan began to drive, but he didn't seem like he was fully in control of his movements. For a moment she thought about his emotionless face. Was he really deep in thought? Was something bigger going on? She thought of Cody's mind control. Was he finally steeping in about what she told him earlier? Was this even mind control? Was he slowly killing him from the inside out? Amber panicked. She couldn't lose him. Not now.

Amber slapped him across the face with enough force to turn his head, leave a red mark on his cheek, and send a stinging sensation to her palm. She quickly dismissed the pain and checked over Jonathan's face, which was now looking at her in disbelief.

Amber shrugged her shoulders, playing it off. She gave him a dangerous smile, winked, opened the door, and walked up towards the house without a word. Amber knew she was walking a dangerous line. At any moment Cody could come swooping down to strike Jonathan. She knew she was lucky that he hadn't already. What was holding him back though? Wasn't this the thing he warned her about? Was he toying with her, trying to make her suffer even more to protect the man she loved? She wouldn't be all that surprised if that was the case.

She heard car doors slam shut behind her. She turned her head slightly once she reached the door, unsure of where the boys were. They should have been next to her, or at least Jonathan should have been. She caught a glance of them, but then did a double take.

There were three people walking towards her now.

She wanted to scream, to tell Jonathan to run, but her voice caught. She felt something like an iron hand wrap around her throat. She gasped for air, unable to get any. Jonathan looked at her in alarm, not realizing that he was really the one in danger.

Cody walked slowly toward him with a confident gate. He tossed her a cruel smile before turning his gaze back on Jonathan. Jonathan was still clueless, still wondering what was wrong with her. She could feel her lungs burning with the lack of oxygen, but she didn't care. She had to find some way to help him. But what could she do? She started to see black spots in her field of vision and knew her time was limited. Her mind slowly became fuzzy. She began to panic.

The next thing she saw was Jonathan on the ground, unconscious. Cody was on top of him, snarling. He held his palm up and caught her eyes. Suddenly it caught fire, sending streams of smoke into the hair. Cody then plunged his flaming hand into Jonathan's chest, directly into his heart. Jonathan thrashed and howled with pain. His body jerked and thrashed, but Cody held on to whatever he grabbed. Jon screamed bloody murder. He thrashed wildly, but Cody didn't loosen his grip. In one swift movement Cody whipped back his hand, but it was full of something. Her blood turned to ice when she saw what was in his hand.

Jonathan's heart.


	20. Chapter 19: Soulless

19. Soulless

Amber couldn't react to scream. All she could do was think of a moment back in time where she heard the story of Jonathan. She remembered everyone telling her about Vampires and Werewolves and then the mix between the two races, Pryor-Wolves.

_"They're the strongest creatures, Pryor-Wolves. At least that's what Claire told us. She said that nothing can kill us except one thing." Jason said, his tone was serious._

_"And that would be?" Amber prompted. _

_"You have to tear our hearts out and catch them on fire."_

And that's exactly what Cody was doing.

_No no no,_ she begged her in mind. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't be losing him. But she was. And it was all her fault. There was nothing she could do now, even if she wanted to. She couldn't rush in a heart transplant, she could spray water on him to make the fire go away, and she couldn't stop that fire like she did to save Jonathan from the fire. She had time then, he was dying, but not so close to death. This attack was direct to his heart; he can't be saved from something like that.

The last thing Amber saw before she blacked out was Cody's cruel grin, and the body of Jonathan that was slowly catching fire. She didn't to realize that he wasn't moving anymore, or jerking, or screaming, to know that he was dead. And she killed him. She was the reason for all of this. She was to blame. She would have to live with it forever, and she was sure that Cody would remind her every day.

For a moment she wondered if this was how Jonathan felt with his family around, the very resemblance to who Claire was and what she did. She wondered how he survived all the pain all those years, because the pain was so severe to her at the moment. At least he knows her didn't kill her now. Amber didn't even have that mercy. She knew it was her fault, and no pretty little lie, or a dose of drugs was going to fix that.

_I killed him,_ she thought before her vision went painfully black.

* * *

When Amber opened her eyes she expected everything except what she saw.

She thought she would be on the ground, her mind fuzzy and blood around her. She thought that the yard would be on fire with Jonathan's remains being the fuel for it. She thought people would be rushing around her, screaming, crying, and demanding her for an explanation. But this wasn't what she saw.

Amber saw Jonathan standing where he had been exactly before Cody came into view. He was looking at her with the same confused expression. Randy was slowly trailing behind him. No Cody. And she was on her feet, exactly as she had been. Not on the ground, not clutching her throat to breathe. Jonathan was alive. There was no Cody. There were no flames in the yard. In fact it seemed like nothing had happened here at all. There was a still silence in the air. She heard birds singing, the wind in the trees. It was just the three of them standing in silence.

It dawned on her that she already knew what happened. She thought of the moment back in high school, the time where Jonathan left her unprotected for the first time. He had gone to hunt with his family, probably heart broken by their latest break up, but she was all alone, unprotected from the person he was trying to keep from her. Cody came that day. He caused the lockdown in the school. He attacked her, broke her limbs, and coerced her into getting back with Jonathan only to shatter what was left of his heart. That was the thing that started this whole mess, but she remembered how that day ended.

In a flash she was sitting back in the cafeteria. Nothing had really happened, not to those around her anyway. She was the only one who remembered. Cody turned back time.

He did the same thing this time.

This time to show his power. It was a warning to her, she knew that. He proved to her that they were all pieces in his games, all living because he allows them to. He displayed that he could kill Jonathan so easily, that he could kill her or his family so easily.

She also saw it as a second chance. For some reason Cody didn't want them dead yet, there was still use with all for all of them alive. She didn't know why, but she would find out.

But whatever to real intention was here was Cody, she got the meaning loud and clear.

If she screwed up again, she was going to pay for it.

* * *

I felt like I had missed something. Amber looked like she had seen a ghost. Her skin was pale and there was a sweat breaking on her brow. Her arms were even shaking a little. Whatever I had missed had to have terrified her. She cocked her head, as if trying to verify something. She squinted her eyes at me, and then took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and mouthed something to herself. When she opened her eyes, she looked more composed.

"You guys coming, or are you just going to stare at me like idiots?" she asked, her voice was slightly too calm and smooth. Amber placed her hands on her hips, pursed her lips, and then turned to open the door. She stepped inside without another word.

I followed her inside on instinct. I heard Randy's footsteps follow me so I swung the door open wide so it didn't hit him. I crossed the threshold and stopped cold. Whatever I had expected this house to look like wasn't what I saw.

The walls, that were painted a warm brown had cracks and holes in them. Pictures that I assumed belonged on the walls were scattered on the wood floor, shattered glass covering it. There were deep dents in the floor with some broken wood pieces. Couches were toppled over on their sides and one looked like it had been thrown at the wall leading to a dim room. Little droplets of blood were everywhere. There was another crash upstairs and it sounded like a body thumped to the ground. This was the scene of a fight.

"Nice place," Amber commented sarcastically, but I ignored her.

I almost panicked when I heard voices coming from another room. I followed the low voices, grabbing Amber's hand on reflex. Randy followed us, his expression confused. I was prepared for anything when I walked into what looked like a kitchen, but my preparation was unneeded. There my family sat, talking amongst themselves. They were totally calm, as if everything was fine and the living room didn't look like a warzone. They turned when I came in and the conversations stopped. A female scream erupted from upstairs.

Skylar spoke before I could react to it. "We decided to let them fight it out."

In a moment it became clear. Claire and Jason were fighting. From what I heard, Claire was never good at talking out her problems, and Jason really had a temper when he got going. It was almost amusing when I pictured it, but something about it tugged at my heart. Why couldn't Jason just accept that Claire came back for us and died for us? Why couldn't he be as happy as I am that she's back? I knew why though. She lied to him. About Cody, about dying, about how she was made, about when she saw Cody last, about a lot of things. Part of me wanted to hate her too, but I couldn't.

"They started pretty good." Taylor said. "At first they seemed like they were okay, but each word led to a fight. They started trying to work out what happened, I guess, but they ended up screaming at each other, sometimes in different languages. We tried to stop their fighting when words finally became insufficient, but we couldn't stop them. So we just let go at it, hoping that they would blow off some steam." Taylor sighed and looked at the ceiling. "They've been going at this for almost a day now."

"_You son of a bitch!"_ Claire shrieked. I heard another thump.

"But you killed her didn't you? Or did you lie about that too? Did Cody help you with that one?" he yelled back. Someone slammed into the wall. "Did you two have fun watching my mom die?" there was a low growl.

"I told you the truth!"

"How am I supposed to know! You _lied_ to me!"

"Oh it's all about you isn't it!"

There was a series of profanities and loud rumbles of growls that drowned out anymore conversation if there was any.

"So it's been like this all day?" I asked. Everyone nodded. There was another loud _boom_ from upstairs and I snapped. "I can't do this."

I bolted out the room before anyone stopped me. I leaped over the glass and landed on the carpeted stairs that led to the second floor. I took them five at a time and reached the top in no time. The upstairs looked worse that the living room. Large holes in the walls that resembled people stretched down the hall in both directions, doors were torn off hinges and some were missing large chunks of wood, the wood floor had holes that looked like a bomb had dropped here, and broken glass was everywhere I looked from mirrors and pictures that were hanging on the wall.

To my left I heard the struggle between the two Vampires. I followed them quietly, though there was no need. I doubted they could hear me coming if I had a shot gun in my hand from the noise they were making. I was careful not to step in the larger pools of blood, though. There was a mix of the scents I smelled in the blood. My mind couldn't process that Claire was bleeding because she was a Vampire, but I could smell her blood clearly. I didn't know what that meant, so I pressed on down the hall.

I found them both struggling together in the bathroom. The shower doors had been ripped from the bathtub, the shower head wasn't connected to the wall anymore, cabinets were torn from the walls and more glass covered the floor. She had him in a choking grasp on the floor. Her knee was pressed into his lower rips, most likely cutting off any air supply. He was thrashing, trying to find a hole to get her off him, but Claire held on. They were both yelling at each other, their faces angry and bloodthirsty. For a moment I thought if he had the chance, Jason would kill Claire.

That was enough for me.

I lunged at my parents, wrapping my legs around Claire's waist. She paused a moment, taken off guard, but her instinct took over. She swung her arm around to knock me off, but I ducked, pinned her arm underneath mine and tugged. She screamed with pain as I twisted her arm into bad angle. She released Jason, just as I had wanted, to turn to me. Before she could see me I wrapped my legs tighter, threw my back to the floor behind me and brought my legs with me. I twisted and threw Claire outside the door into the wall. She bounced once on the wall, but was in a pose to make a deadly strike in one second. The way Claire looked at me strike me with fear. Her face was contorted with rage. She was snarling at her new prey that came between her and her fight. I could now see why so many people feared her. The reflection of what looked like a soulless monster coming out from her eyes was enough to make any man cower. _This is wrong,_ my body screamed, but I didn't know what to think of it. As I looked closer I didn't see any part of Claire in her eyes, just a violent Vampire looking back at me, her lips pulled back in a snarl. There was no recognition in her face as she looked me, only a need to kill.

But instead of cowering in fear like every part of my body wanted to do, I stood on my two feet, grabbing a fistful of Jason's ragged shirt to drag Jason up with me. _"Stop!" _I ordered. Dozens of emotions must have crossed Claire's face, one being confusion. She shook her head back and forth, like she was fighting something inside her. Her body trembled, but when she looked at me this time, I didn't see the monster. Something in her eyes had changed. It's like this time I could see her soul, where as I couldn't only before.

Something was wrong with Claire.

* * *

Cody smiled. "She's becoming weaker. It won't be long now."

Aro strode over to the Vampire. "How are you so sure?"

He closed his eyes. "I can feel it. The power is slowly draining from her. She knows about the Vampire inside of her, but she thinks she can control it. I told her before that this would be a side effect. Then I thought she could overcome it. I obviously was wrong."

"And if you're wrong about killing her? That this plan won't work?"

"It has to work. That or we're all going to die."

"What if she kills you first?"

Cody thought about it for a second. "Then she dies as well. She is bound to me. I gave her life by using my power. If I am killed, then there is no power to sustain her. Her soul is ripped back from her body and she dies."

"Will that be Plan B?" Aro almost chuckled when he pictured Claire ripping the head off of Cody.

"Possibly."

"So when do we kill her?"

Cody closed his eyes and smelled the air. A slow smile formed. "Soon. Very soon."

"How do you plan on killing her?"

"I have a plan. Have no fear, dear one, everything will be fine."

Aro was sure that nothing will be fine.


	21. Chapter 20: Gone

20. Gone

Claire's eyes held mine. She was panting, still crouched, but her expression was all I could focus on. I stared deeply into her, trying to find whatever I had seen moments before, but it had vanished. What had I thought I saw anyway? No soul? I remembered the first day I saw her, how when I looked into her I saw that faint light at the center of her mind. That light was the goodness of Claire that could shine so brightly if given the chance. When she looked at me before I didn't see any light, just dark. It was like there was nothing inside Claire anymore. Or like Claire wasn't there and something else took her place.

I shook my head. That was impossible. Claire's body was Claire's body. But Jason's body was his and yet Cody could still overtake it. Could something overtake Claire? She was just so _powerful_ that I found it hard to believe. But Cody was more powerful than Claire, but would he really go to the trouble of bringing her back only to destroy her in the end? My mind began to spin. I didn't know who Cody was anymore. Was he a good guy who was corrupted by a lie? Was he still a monster? Was he ever good? Was he just messed up? Crazy? Insane? My f-

My thought cut off instantly on instinct. I had not mastered the art of blocking my mind from Edward or Syd. They would be reading my thoughts. If I even questioned it in my head, they would know. This was one thing I had to keep to myself, until I could figure out the answer.

I felt Jason stand up behind me. I turned my head slightly, keeping an eye on Claire, to look at him. His face was flushed; his blonde curls were tangled and wet from sweat. He was panting and his body was trembling. There was a crazy look in his eyes, a look of love, bloodlust, and pain. Jason was in so much pain. I gave him a soft look. He met my eyes with a hard stare before he slid behind me and down the hallway.

"Jason." I called, but he didn't turn. Maybe it was best. I didn't know what I would've said anyway. Not like any one word was going to make him feel better. I sighed and turned back to Claire, who was watching me with keen eyes.

Angry or happy, there was no mistaking that Claire was heartbreakingly beautiful. Even with her face in a grimace, it was enough to notice. There was something graceful about how she stood, or how she fought. Her hair was frowzy with hairs going in all sorts of directions. Her shirt was torn and half of her jeans were missing. I think she even had bite marks on her neck, but she brushed her hair on them before I got a good look.

"Really? You have to fight him to make him understand? Good plan." I applauded her before turning and walked down what was left of the hall. Her quiet footsteps announced that she was following.

"He wasn't listening."

"And fighting him is going to make him listen?"

She fell silent. Then she said, "He pushed me first."

I laughed. "So we're going schoolyard, are we?"

"I guess we are."

Once at the stairs, it seemed like the damage intensified. The entire home looked as if a tornado, hurricane, and an earthquake bombarded the house, only leaving the walls and pieces of the floors intact. How we were possibly going to get this house back in shape was beyond me.

The sight on the broken stairs was menacing. Instead of risking even a single step, I braced the muscles of my legs, tightened then, and then leaped to the bottom of the stairs. No noise accompanied my landing. Claire stepped beside me with the same silence.

Skylar walked out of the kitchen and scratched the back of his head. "Anyone got a repair man on speed dial?"

The tension of the room seemed to break at his joke as people laughed quietly behind him. Jason was nowhere to be seen, not that I really expected him to be lounging around on the sofa. Jason was always the type to be left alone after a fight

"I do." Claire said cheerfully. She smiled and looked around the room with her face falling as her head turned. I glanced at the faces of my family. None of them looked remotely happy.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Angel piped up after two minutes of uncomfortable silence.

"What do you mean?" Claire's voice sounded so innocent.

"It won't help anything with you and…" Angel's voice trailed.

"With Jason and I? He is as stubborn as a mule. If he can't see what I've tried to do for him, then it doesn't really matter at this point does it? Don't you want the house fixed?" her hands went to her hips and a face that held an attitude found it's way into Claire's features. I figured out in an instant that I didn't like this version of Claire.

"I don't want him here." Jason said. Everyone turned to the far corner of the room where Jason was standing, arms crossed over his chest. He was leaning against the wall, and I wondered how long he had been standing there without my noticing.

"And since when are you in charge?" She fired back.

"Since the day your son and I buried you in the ground." His eyes narrowed. He slowly emerged from his corner and walked toward her with small, precise steps. He stopped once he was only inches from her. Jason brought his hand up and swung it before any of us had time to react. Claire bent over, her hand grasping her cheek, her eyes showing betrayal. "I don't need you. You're nothing to me anymore. As far as I'm concerned, your body is still fifteen feet below ground in that damn cemetery. I don't love you. I _hate you_. I _loathe you._ I hope the next time you die, you stay dead this time. We're better off without you." His bent his head closer to hers. "I hope you burn in Hell."

Claire slowly stood up, but something was different about her posture. She looked weak, like all of the energy has been sucked from her and it took all her will just to breathe. Her face looked as if she was holding back tears. "Fine" was all she said before heading up the stairs and slamming her door. Only silence followed her.

* * *

Claire's chest was on fire. Her eyes blurred as she stumbled into her room. Her legs shook violently and her vision seemed to be spinning. Her hands grasped the dresser for support. She held her head with her free hand, trying to stop the world from moving so quickly.

_I don't love you. I don't need you. I don't love you. I don't need you._

Those crushing words kept repeating in her mind, making her head throb with agony. Jason didn't love her anymore. She had pushed him too far. She shook her head. She knew this would happen. He wouldn't understand her actions; he wouldn't see the truth hidden between her lies. He would never know. She had always known that this outcome would be a possibility, but Claire so firmly believed that their love would be strong enough to overcome it. But she was wrong. He hated her. And she couldn't blame him.

Another tremor racked through her body, sending her limbs into uncontrollable spasms. She crashed onto her bed while her body thrashed. Her mind went black suddenly and then was flashed with light as she went in and out of consciousness. She couldn't focus on any thoughts and she began to panic, unsure of what was going on. All she knew for sure was that her chest felt as if it were a fiery furnace. Her blood felt like scolded metal as it pumped through her veins. She wanted to scream.

She pictured the tearing of a sheet of paper and realized that's exactly how she felt. She imagined her body being torn apart, but she didn't know from what.

_I don't love you._

She wanted to cry out for help. The pain was too much for her, but she couldn't find a way to open her mouth. It was like she was cut off from her body.

_I don't need you._

She couldn't feel her body. She felt trapped.

_I don't love you._

In a moment, the knowledge of what was happening hit her, but it hit her too late. Her soul was ripped from her body, and in a flash she was gone.

All that was left was her body, the Vampire sleeping within it.

* * *

A bright, white light pierced Claire's eyes. She knew that it should have hurt her, but it didn't. The light was warm, soothing even. She didn't turn away from the light, but rather welcomed the peace that came with it. She smiled joyfully as she knew where she was.

_Heaven. _

The place she thought eluded her. The place Claire believed that she could never enter. She thought she had committed such terrible crimes and that her soul was as dark as the night. She would have never dreamed that she would come to such a place when she died eventually. And yet here she was, standing in the midst of everything righteous and good.

Claire had missed this place terribly. It was as wonderful as she remembered. She didn't want to leave the first time, but a boy called her name. A boy and a child, but she couldn't recall the names. But it didn't matter to her. She wasn't ever going to leave this place again. This was her home now. No one was going to take her from it.

With her eyes closed and heart open, she embraced the light of Heaven.

* * *

I wanted to follow Claire. I wanted to take away her pain, or to at least ease it, but I didn't. I let her crawl into her room alone without moving one step towards her. I was a terrible person.

The silence in the room was thunderous. No one dared to look at each other. No one wanted to admit that this was actually happening. No one wanted to see that our world was falling apart at the seams and that nothing was ever going to be the same. No wanted to see it, but it was there before our eyes for all to see.

Jason sighed. "We better get this all cleaned up." His voice sounded drained, older. He looked ten years older than he actually was. I wonder how much of this affected him. I wonder if what he said was true, or if he was just angry with Claire. Part of me hoped that it was just rash anger, but something inside me told me I was just lying to myself.

My father grabbed a trashcan from the kitchen and started to toss bits of wood and glass into the bin. We all followed his example and began to pick up the house. We separated the house into sections and each of us had a room. Jason and I were assigned the living room. I thought that he gave us this room so he didn't have to be close to Claire. I was almost one hundred percent sure of this.

Amber and Randy just sat on the couch. They weren't able to keep up with us anyway, so it was best for them to just stay out of the way. Every once in a while I caught Amber staring at me, as if she was making sure I wasn't going to disappear into a cloud of smoke. The expression frightened me. Her eyes were blood shot and rimmed red. I suddenly worried if her body was going to go through a withdrawal.

It took a few hours to clean up every room of every scarp and then repair all the wood damage and walls. Angel was mostly in charge of gathering the wood and glass while we all fixed each wood panel. We filled the holes in the walls and painted over them. When we were finally finished, the house held no reminder of the fight that took place. It was almost spooky how quickly evidence could disappear, but no one wanted to remember it anyway.

Claire stayed in her room the rest of the night, until she left I guess since Edward could no longer hear her thoughts. Maybe it was best for her to be gone for now. It would give everyone a chance to cool down and gather our thoughts. She would be back soon though, I knew it. She wouldn't leave me alone here without a mother again. She couldn't do that to me.


	22. Chapter 21: Choices

21. Choices

Cody Evans felt the subtle shift of air in the room and knew immediately what had happened. A sharp pain stabbed his chest and his throat swelled with sadness. This hadn't been the first time he lost her. He felt her soul leave once before, but he hoped that he could bring it back that time. He had still been uncertain that her plan would work, but he had hope then. It was different this time; Cody knew that without a doubt. A soul could only take so much before it's ripped back out of the body, especially her fragile being. She had been through so much that it nearly killed Cody on the inside. And her love for that creature only made his anger burn stronger. Jason was the reason she suffered so, the reason she cried at night over him. He was the reason she had to die in the first place. And he treated her like dirt from the moment she reappeared. Cody had no doubt that Jason was also the reason her so no longer lingered on this Earth. As corrupted as Cody was, it cut him deeply that his soul mate was gone forever.

A thought struck him and he realized what this could mean. Claire may be gone, but her body, the Vampire still inside it, was still here. He wondered if the Vampire was sleeping inside, or regaining control of her body. Cody cracked a smile at the thought of the Vampire beginning a rampage and killing every being in that damn home, including Jason. He imagined the Vampire taking out a lot of fury on Jason since the creature had Claire's memories. He was responsible for so much pain she endured and the Vampire could feel that pain. _Maybe it will kill him slowly,_ Cody thought, still smiling.

"What's got you so happy?" Aro asked, his milky eyes focused on Cody. He strode over to Cody, cautious.

Cody clasped his hands together. "We may not have to kill Claire after all. Her soul is no longer with us." His smile seemed to dampen. He already missed her, yearned for her touch, her kiss, her love. Losing Claire again wasn't going to be easy, but he would take great satisfaction of killing Jason.

"Claire's gone?" the old Vampire asked. An expression of confusion crossed his crinkly features.

Cody nodded. "All that's left is her body."

"And the Vampire?"

Cody pulled a hand through his blond hair. "It's still there."

Alarmed, Aro said, "Is it awake? We need to do something! How do we kill a purebred Nephilim? We-"

Cody held up a hand to silence him. "I have no idea if the Vampire is awake or asleep. Without a host to feed off of, it might die if it's asleep. It doesn't have Claire to feed it when she drinks."

"And if it's awake?"

"Then it will kill the Emerson clan, which I for one won't stop. I'll let it carry out Claire's plan for me." Cody seemed pleased by the thought.

Aro was still deathly afraid. "And when it's done killing them? Then what? What about the Nephilim race coming back?"

Cody's sly smile fell from his lips. He had forgotten. Once the Vampire was finished with Claire's family, it would on into the next, and with each drop of blood in consumes it will gain strength, strength enough to kill Cody where he stood without lifting a finger. And if the Vampire figures out how to control Claire's gift…well, they would be done for. Humanity would cease to exist. Nephilim would control the world once more, and no one, not even God, could stop them this time.

He groaned. Cody knew he had to do something. He had to kill the monster before it could leave that house. _I'll wait a little longer though,_ he thought, _I want to see how many that Vampire can kill before I reach them._ "I'll pay them a visit, my dear friend. I'll take care of it." Cody also had the thought to kill Jason after he destroyed the creature. His own little revenge for all that he had done to Claire. _Just a little longer, _he told himself.

* * *

Peace swirled around Claire. This was her home. This was the place where everything fell into place. Heaven was a world of no pain, no sadness, no hunger, and no thirst. It was a world of love, hope, kindness, joy, and glorious. Yes, glorious was the right word to describe this place. Heaven was everything Claire had dreamed of, a place she thought eluded her. She had never felt so happy before…no that was a lie. She had felt such happiness before. A memory tugged at her, a blonde haired boy flashed in front of her, but it disappeared too quickly for her to realize who it was. She let it go, not wanting to really remember. He couldn't have made her that happy if she couldn't even recall a name.

Claire opened her eyes to that same warm, welcoming light. The light didn't come from the sky, but rather from all around her. It radiated off the ground, which was softer than silk, and off her smooth, pearl skin. This place was a brilliant, pure white that had no blemish and no wrong. Heaven was perfect, as she always imagined it to be if she ever came back again. And now that she had…well, life couldn't be more perfect for her.

She pressed her palms against the silky ground and eased herself up with grace that would have made any Vampire weep with jealousy. She felt lighter than air itself and couldn't help but giggle at the feeling of it. Her blond hair hung past her shoulders, the length it used to be before she...she…Claire struggled with the word. Her past was a mystery to her, but it didn't bother her. How could she worry in a place like this? Instead of dwelling on something uncomfortable, she decided to explore.

Heaven, as she found out, wasn't just a large, empty space. With each step she took, she heard laughter and voices mingling with soft sounds of beautiful singing. She heard praises in each song and she felt compelled to sing along with them. People then came into view. They all looked like her in a way. They each wore bright, white robes that shone light brighter than any star she could imagine in the heavens. No person bore a frown or grimace. They each held a large smile on their faces, just like her. No one was sad or cried out in pain. It made her joyful.

"Claire." A low voice said, it's sound strangely familiar.

She turned around to see a well built man with dark chocolate hair that curled around his ears. His face was pale and his eyes were a warm green that reminded her of grass in the springtime. He was a foot taller than her and looked down at her with a sad face. She instantly knew who he was without having to think about it.

"Shadow!" she squealed and threw herself into his arms. He caught her with ease, his strong arms wrapping around her as if to shield her. Her pressed her tightly against his chest and took in the scent of her. She heard him sigh and she pulled away.

What she saw in his eyes shocked her. It was a look of deep pain and longing. He stared at her, as if he was trying to see something that wasn't there or trying to make something happen. The longer he stared at her, the sadder his eyes grew. She was about to voice her confusion when the onslaught of memories hit her.

It all became clear to her in that instant. She knew why Shadow looked so sad. It was because he still loved her and it killed him to see him here and not alive. She knew why she was here in the first place or here again rather. She remembered that she died for her love and her son, but Jason didn't want her. And since Jason didn't want her, her soul couldn't cling to the world anymore. So it was like she died all over again.

The pain was what she felt next, the pain of losing Jason twice. It wasn't right for her to feel such agony in a place of such beauty, but Claire didn't really belong here. She belonged with Jason. She belonged with her family. But her family didn't want her anymore, they made that quite clear.

"Oh Claire." Shadow sighed, taking her in for another embrace. She wanted to cry, but no tears would form. Her new heavenly body seemed unable to perform any emotions other than joy, so she just shook and wept internally.

How could she have lost him! She tried so hard to come back for him! Couldn't he see that? She died for him, left Heaven for him! How could he just treat her like that? Angel welled up inside her body now. How _dare_ he! She sacrificed everything for Jason and Jonathan, and this is how Jason repays her? By telling her he hates her? His stupid, stupid pride! She wondered what happened to that sweet human boy she knew so long ago, but she knew he was long gone. That Jason would never come back.

"You need to go back." He said, his hand brushing Claire's hair.

Claire shoved him away like he was a venomous snake. "Go back? _Go back!_ In case you didn't notice, he doesn't want me anymore! Nobody there wants me! He sent me away, Shadow." Her tone grew soft as the yearning for Jason's warm touch consumed her. "He hates me now. How can I ever go back?"

"They need you. _Jason_ needs you, whether he's ready to realize it or not. Something dark is forming down there, and there's only one girl I know who's strong enough to beat it." His voice was soothing as he smiled warmly at her. "Everything will be okay. I wouldn't send you down there if I didn't know for sure. Just trust me."

Claire looked around, panicked. How could she leave this place again for the person who sent her back?

Shadow sighed. "There is also another option."

She snapped her attention to Shadow. "There is?"

He scratched his head, clearly not wanting to say whatever ever he was going to say. "You can stay. The pain you feel is temporary. It happened the first time you came too. The longer you stay here, the less feelings you have for those left on Earth. The pain will eventually ebb away and you'll just be left with Heaven."

"Sounds great to me." Claire mumbled.

He held up his hand. "The catch is that you'll lose your memories of your past life if you choose to stay. You won't remember anything that happened on Earth. You get to stay, but your memories don't."

Claire let his words sink in. Was she ready to let go of Jason? The pain was horrid, but she had been through so much with him. They had conquered so much together. How can she just let him go like that? But how could she just go back when he hates her so much? The pain he handed her was almost too much to bear when he sent her back to Heaven.

Almost.

"If it helps, he misses you."

Claire ducked her head. Of course he did. His words were done out of rash anger. His hatred was meant for Cody and she was just in the way of both of them. He didn't hate her. He loved her. It made her feel shame that it took her this long to figure it out.

"I wanna go back," she told him, bringing a smile to his face.

"I thought you might."

"How?"

Shadow clasped his hands together. "You already know the answer to that."

She rolled her eyes. "You always loved those cliché answers." She looked around. "Last time Cody brought me back. How am I going to do it now?"

"Did he?" he asked her. "Are you sure?"

At that moment Claire wasn't so sure of anything. She had no idea what Shadow was talking about. She didn't know how to get back to Earth, not the slightest idea. All she wanted was to go home.

And then she was gone.


	23. Chapter 22: Dangerous Confession

22. Dangerous Confession

"Forget my problems," Amber said while lying down on her bed. "Yours are so much more interesting."

I launched a pillow at her. Amber easily deflected it. "What happened to the nice Amber who was going to try?" I raised my eyebrows at her.

She shrugged. "She comes and goes. You can't expect a one-eighty over night."

I rolled my eyes and laid my head in my hands. I heard Amber slide off the bed and make her way towards where I was sitting with dainty steps. Her hands rubbed my shoulders. A jolt of electricity hit me at the feeling of her skin against mine.

"Has Claire come back yet?" her voice was much softer when she asked this, a touch more genuine. Her thumb drew circles on my neck. It was extremely hard to concentrate.

I sighed. "Nope. It's been two weeks since she's left. I don't think she's coming back." Things had calmed down in about a week with Jason. He soon apologized to everyone for his actions and promised to do the same with Claire when she returned. But she never came back. I waited everyday for her, but I never saw her.

Then I turned on Jason. I yelled at him every day for scaring her away, for saying the things he did. I blamed him for leaving. I blamed him for taking away the mother I just got back, the mother I thought I killed. We fought constantly until I had no more rage them to take out. Instead I cried at night like I used to. Sometimes Amber would come lie next to me, but one night she started screaming, hollering no! as loud as she could. She wouldn't tell me why, but she never came back to lie with me after that.

So I was left with no Claire and a strained relationship with Amber. Back to square one.

"She'll be back. I doubt any mother would leave like that, especially after all she's been through for you."

"If she isn't lying about it." I commented. It still blew my mind. Claire and Cody? She willingly had sex with him? She lied about it? She had seen him long before she saw him in the desert with Jason? What other things could she be lying about?

"You don't believe that and you know it."

Amber was right. No matter what, I trusted Claire. I would believe her until I died, and maybe long after that. She was my mother; how could I not trust her?

"I'm done talking about Claire." She announced. She slid her hands underneath my shirt and leaned down to kiss my neck. Before I could protest, she twisted around the chair and straddled my waist. She pressed herself close to me and kissed me hard. My hands went to her back on instinct, pulling her to me with a fierce hunger for her touch. Nimble fingers that I could no longer control grasped her shirt and yanked it off of her with ease.

A small voice in the back of my head told me that this wasn't the brightest thing to be doing, that this was really going to hurt me later, but the physical part of my brain denied it. This felt amazing. How could anything this good be wrong?

Amber undid the button of my pants and was beginning to work them off when I grabbed both her hands. It took all of my will to stop her, but I knew I had to. "Not now." I breathed, unable to catch my breath. It still amazed me how one girl had such an effect on me.

She frowned. "So you can remove mine, but I can't remove yours?"

I sighed. "Just not now, Amber. I'm not in the mood." And I really wasn't. There was too much going on at this point to be worrying about sex.

Amber leaned close and licked my neck. "I can _put_ you in the mood if you want. You don't even have to do anything. I'm a good dancer-"

"Shut _up!"_ I pushed her off of me as gently as I could. "I don't want to be a part of your stupid hooker dances. Can't you see how all of this is affecting me? I'm mean God, Amber, are you really that self absorbed into your own little world? Are you really that blind? All you've given me since I found you is heartbreak and pain. It really sucks to see you every day and know I can't have you. I don't know what you want from me, but if it's games you're after, then forget it. I'm done with it."

She blinked, shocked. Personally, I was shocked at my own words as well, but I meant every word. Everything I said had been on my chest for weeks and now I could finally get it out. It felt good.

Amber bit her lip and shook her head. Tears started falling down her cheeks. When she opened her eyes and looked at me, I could tell she was conflicted. Her mouth opened like she was ready to tell me something, but then she snapped it shut.

"What?" I pressed. Taking a step towards her, but she just backed away, shaking her head.

"I can't." she moaned.

"Can't what?"

She pressed her hands against her ears. "You don't understand. I can't tell you."

"Tell me what, Amber?"

"No, no." she kept shaking her head. Amber was sobbing now. She leaned against the wall and then slid down to the floor, hugging her knees.

"Why can't you tell me?" I asked softly. Something about this tugged at my mind, but I couldn't figure it out. What could she possibly be so afraid of that she couldn't tell me? What was holding her back?

"He'll kill you, Jonathan. Cody will kill you."

* * *

Amber shook violently. She didn't know what to do. Jonathan was asking dangerous questions, questions that she couldn't dare answer. But her will was breaking and the lying wasn't going to keep it's grip on her forever. She wanted to tell him so very badly, but Cody would kill him. Cody would destroy him. How could she endanger his life like that just to make him and her feel better only for a moment? She couldn't do that to him!

She made the mistake of looking at him. His eyes were so gentle, so comforting. Jonathan was so open. He never cared about her mistakes. He only wanted to help her. He could be her safe house whenever she needed him. He was her strong tower, the one thing that lifted her up when she was weak, which was all the time now. How could she keep lying to him when he was ready to accept her truth?

Her strength was failing each time he asked a question and it wouldn't be long now before she broke her silence. Was she ready for the consequences of it? She would lose Jonathan, but he would be free. He would know the truth. He would die in peace and be happy wherever he was knowing that Amber still loved him and she only did this to protect him. And she would be free from all the lies. Maybe Cody would kill her too so she could be with Jonathan. If not, there were always so many options to be with him after he died, so many choices of death.

Having made up her choice, she decided she would tell him and accept her punishment.

* * *

I sucked in a sharp breath. Cody would kill me? What was she talking about? What was she hiding that would make Cody kill me if she spilled? "What?" I asked, confused.

"You have to understand I only did this to protect you. I never wanted to hurt you, Jonathan." Her voice was quick like I would stop her at any moment. "The deal was that I wouldn't ever see you again and then you would live. This was never supposed to happen. I'm so sorry-"

"Amber, what are you talking about?" my head was beyond lost at this point.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Remember that last day we broke up, before the time I just left?"

I dimly recalled that one breakup. She got angry at me again for my cheating, but we got back together for those few glorious weeks until she left. "Yeah, I do." I said.

"That day you went out hunting with your family and you left me alone at the school. I was…unprotected." She looked around before continuing. "There was a school lockdown that day because an intruder came in during lunch. We all hid in the hallway. I wasn't really scared because it was just a human, but I was wrong. It was Cody who broke into the school that day.

"He found me in the hallway and he threw me on the ground. He broke my arms and legs and told me that since he couldn't have Claire, that you couldn't have me." her voice grew thick and the tears came stronger. "He threatened me. He told me that I had to get back together with you and then break your heart. He said I would have to leave you and never see you again or he would kill you. And I knew he would. So I promised him I would do as he asked and then he turned time back so it was like he was never there. And that would be why you've never heard of the school break in."

My mind began to spin. Cody made her leave me? He hurt her? I immediately cursed myself for leaving her that day, but I knew I couldn't have helped. If Cody could stop time then I could've been there and still wouldn't have been able to do a darn thing.

"Amber-" I started.

She held up her hand. "I'm not done. That's why I kept telling you to not forget that I loved you. I thought that maybe if you believed it without a doubt that when I left, you wouldn't let me go and Cody's plan would fail. That's why I kept telling you to not forget, but you didn't remember. You got so caught up in my lie and then I left." Her voice caught. "You have to understand that leaving you was the hardest thing I ever did and that I didn't want to."

I got down on my knees next to Amber and pulled her into my arms. Amber began to sob until I was sure no more tears could possibly come out of her body, but still more came. I held her close to my chest until she finally began to settle down. Her breathing started to slow and she became silent to the point where I thought she was asleep. But she just sat there and shook her head.

Everything that Amber had said suddenly made sense. The reasons to why she kept telling me not to forget, why Amber was so troubled that night we got back together. Everything became so perfectly clear at that one instant. My memories of us flooded back to me. Every detail that I overlooked now held a new purpose as I looked at it and I wondered how I missed the signs. It was all so clear and I felt so stupid for not realizing it sooner.

But what I felt most stupid about was the dream. She had told me! She had laid out everything to me, hoping that I would remember and everything would be perfect again. How could I be so stupid!

"It was all a lie." I said, dumfounded. "Every word you said before."

She nodded.

"You left because he made you."

Another nod.

"And you love me?" this was a question because for some reason I was still unsure about her feelings for me. She was right: I _was_ caught up in her lie. Her lie was so perfect that I believed it and part of me still did.

Amber sat up and took my face into her hands. "Yes. I love you, Jonathan Greenfield. I always have, and I always will. I hope you can forgive me for all of the awful things I've done and said."

"I love _you,_ Amber Bay. Forever." And this time when we kissed, it was real. I knew she felt the same way that I did. I knew that our trouble was over. I knew that things could only get better with us. It's amazing how those three simple words could five half a decade worth of a broken heart.

I pulled away. "Now about the drugs." I touched her short hair. "And the hair."

She sighed. "I got involved with those shortly after I left. The pain was…unbearable. I wanted a way out, a way to forget, even if just for a few hours. I started with just a little bit, but I got hooked. I blew all of my money, but the addiction was too strong. Sometimes Cody would come and give me some-he would stop by a lot actually-but it wasn't anywhere near enough for me. So I got a job." She looked down and started playing with her nails.

"Prostitution." I said for her when it didn't look like she was going to keep going.

Amber nodded. "It paid well and sometimes I got free drugs that way. They I just started to waste away as time went by. I felt terrible about who I became and I was so sick of looking at myself in the mirror and knowing what I did to you, so I cut my hair."

"And dyed it?"

She shrugged. "You hate pink. I thought that if I looked like something you hated, that I wouldn't hurt as bad, but I was wrong."

"Why did you come back? I thought you said the deal was that you had to stay away?"

"That's what I never got." She said. "Cody just showed up one day and brought me here. He got me a house, a job, and a spot in school, though I never went anyway. He uprooted me to here and I didn't know why until I saw you in the bar that one night. I figured out that this is all just a game to him! He gets a kick out of doing this to all of us! I just don't understand why though."

A thought occurred. "But Claire's obviously alive. He brought her back. He knew she was here and he was with her. Why did he need to separate us?"

She threw her hands in the air. "I've asked myself that question a million times! I think he just wanted a reason to hurt us. He couldn't mess with Jason for the moment so he moved on to the next best thing." She yanked her hands threw her short hair.

For a moment, I didn't even care that we were talking about a psychopath, or that we were probably both in danger. I didn't care about the rest of world out there for that matter. I didn't care about how trashy her hair looked, or how many issues she had. I didn't care about what we would face tomorrow. For the moment, all I cared about was Amber. All I cared about was that she was here and that she loved me. And I loved her more than anything.

I just sat there and smiled at her.

She finally turned and looked at me. She blushed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I love you."


	24. Chapter 23: discovery

23. Discovery

"It was all a lie?" Jason asked Amber.

"How many times is that?" Angel whispered to me. "I counted five."

"I think it's six." Nick murmured to her. "Your hearing is off."

She elbowed him.

"It's definitely five. _Your_ hearing is off." I told him with a wink at Angel. Satisfied, she leaned back down on in the chair and laid her head on Nick's shoulder.

After Amber told me the truth of what was really going on, I don't think I had even felt as happy as I did at that moment. I didn't hesitate for a second when I took her in my arms and pressed my lips to hers. I held her close to me, not wanting to let her go for even a second. I never really lost that sweet girl from Ohio, she had only been misplaced by Cody. We stayed in my room for hours talking, kissing, and remembering what our relationship used to be. I promised her everything would be back to normal, that I would always protect her.

"I can't believe you forgot." She joked.

I kissed her forehead. "Only for a moment." I breathed.

"An extremely long moment."

"I'm sorry." I told her. I had no excuse for leaving her that day, for not knowing that Amber would never do this to me. I was a terrible person, but I hoped that this helped me grow into a person Amber deserved. "Now about the hair…" I poked her in the side, sending her into a fit of giggles. She was still ticklish.

"Jonathan, quit it!" she squealed.

Of course we made love, but it was real this time. I didn't know that it had been real every time, but now that I did, I was complete. I had the most incredible girl anyone could have and she would be mine forever.

It wasn't until the next morning that we decided to tell everyone. Amber was deathly afraid that my family wouldn't understand what she went through and that they would hate her. She wouldn't let me reason with her for a while. She was so afraid. It took an hour of convincing-mostly pleading actually-to get her to come downstairs. I told her I would explain things when we got down there, but she was actually the one who told the story.

Amber's fear was for naught in the end. Everyone listened to her story without interrupting. She was able to explain the entire thing in a little less than an hour. Once she was done, they began to ask questions. When every ounce of detail was squeezed out of her, silence fell over the room. After a few minutes of silence, anger erupted in everyone in the room, but it wasn't with Amber, but rather Cody. Taylor, who had always loved Amber fiercely, was all for finding Cody and giving him a piece of her mind, but we all knew it wasn't a good idea.

Jason was still in too much shock to be angry. He sat and pondered over Amber's story while the others vented out their anger. "Why would he be so determined to hurt you two if Claire was alive and with him?"

Amber shrugged. "Trust me, I've sat in my room and thought about it for hours when I found out she was alive. I chewed him out when he finally had the balls to show up, but I was all talk. He said it was just another game to him."

"He came to you?" Syd asked, curious.

"He always showed up. Sometimes it was nice to have company after being alone for so long. He was even pleasant for a while to me. He had the most amazing stories…" Amber drifted off in thought.

Skylar snorted. "Cody? Pleasant?" he laughed.

"I got to know him over the years. I hated him with a passion, don't get me wrong, but he was different when he was around me. He would talk about when he met Claire and when he first found out that he was Nephilim. It was pretty interesting stuff. Cody almost seemed human when he talked to me at first."

"At first?" Skylar asked.

"He became…rude. Like something was bothering him. He was always on edge. He would break out in anger and if I was too close he would hit me. He would slam me against walls and throw me across the room like I was a doll-"-I growled-"Afterwards he would apologize, fix me up, and then leave." Amber rubbed her arm, probably remembering the pain as far as I could guess.

"But he came to you?"

Amber's forehead creased. "Yeah he did. I was yelling at him in my mind and he heard my thoughts I guess. It was really weird." She shook her head and flashed a smile. "But it's over now I guess."

"Damn right it is." Jason growled. "He won't touch you again."

"How very touching."

Every head spun towards the top of the stairs. Standing like a marble statue, Cody smiled down at us with a sly smile. His grin showed his teeth that made him look like a monster from a horror movie. _How fitting,_ I thought.

Without thinking, I leaped for Amber and threw her behind me and onto the couch. My family took their place in front of us, all of them in crouching positions, ready for a fight.

Cody laughed. "Do you really think that you could win a fight against me?" he laughed again, this time it sounded more like a hyena's cackle. His eyes zeroed in on Amber. "And do you really think you could just disobey me like that and not expect the consequences? Was my warning in the front yard not clear enough for you? Do you want little Jonathan to burn? If so, I can quickly arrange it."

"Shut up." I snarled. "You don't have any control over her anymore. It's over, Cody." I didn't understand what he was talking about, but with Amber's story he could have done anything and then gone back in time with me not having a trace of the memory.

"My silly boy, the game has only begun. I don't take disrespect kindly. She knew what would happen, and now it's time for her punishment."

_"No."_

I turned my head slightly, shocked to see Amber standing up, a fierce scowl on her face. She looked different. Her pupils dilated until I could no longer see the warm brown of her eyes and then even the white was gone. Her eyes became black as pitch orbs that were narrowed like a cat's. The veins around her eyes were more prominent and stretched down to the top of her cheek. They were red until they shifted to black to match her eyes. She looked possessed.

"Amber," I whispered and reached from her arm, but she ignored me and pulled her hand away, her eyes still fixed on Cody.

"No more games, Cody. I'm done playing." Amber hissed with a voice that hardly sounded like her own.

Cody hesitated, staring at Amber with a look of pure shock on his face. Whatever was happening to Amber, he knew what it was. Then he smiled. "And what could you possibly do to me, Amber? You're not strong enough." With motions quicker than a bolt of lightning, Cody grabbed me by the arm and threw me into the nearest wall. I covered my head, heard Amber scream _no!_ and waited for the contact, but I never felt it. I opened my eyes.

I was _floating_ ten inches from the wall. I dropped to the ground with a _thud_. I looked around, my expression mimicking everyone else's: confusion.

"You were saying?" the alien voice of Amber said. Her eyes flickered to me, but only for a moment before they darted back to Cody. Her body language was begging for a fight, challenging Cody to a duel. I coiled my muscles, prepared to jump and deflect any attack he made towards her, but none came. I turned my head to see him.

He stood there with eyes wide. He looked unsure of what was going on. Cody was no longer in control of the situation, and I knew how much he liked to control everything. His body language was uneasy. His fingers twitched. It was hard to believe, but Cody was nervous.

"You've matured much faster than I originally thought." He finally said after a few minutes of silence. Cody narrowed his eyes at her, like trying to see something that wasn't really there, trying to see through her. "Your kind is so rare that I forgot about the process. It will come to me again." He smiled at her menacingly.

"Things slip." She responded, that voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

Her kind? What was Cody talking about? As far as I knew, Amber was human and has always been human. But then I wondered if she really wasn't. I thought back to the strange incidents that occurred with her near. Her voice in my head when I was dying, the fire somehow stopping after she yelled when I tried to commit suicide, the way she could call Cody with her thoughts, and the way she stopped me from being thrown into a wall. None of those actions were human at all. So the question wasn't who Amber was anymore.

It was what she was.

"If I were you, Cody, I would leave. This can only end badly for you."

Cody took in her words for a moment and then nodded. "You're probably right, my dear. But the problem can only last for a short while." He turned and walked to the door with precise steps and then he turned around, his eyes trained on Jason. "And have you seen Claire? She hasn't come home for the past few days. Any idea where you've scared her off to again? Or did you actually kill her this time because she didn't bow down to you?"

The way he said _home_ implied that she lived with him now. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest at the thought of Claire living with him.

Jason's face went red with rage. Veins on his forehead began to swell and his eyes went wild. "She lied to me."

Cody laughed. "News flash pretty boy, she's lied to me too. She's lied to everyone so don't take it too personally." He paused before looking at him seriously, all tones of mocking out of his voice. "She loves you more than you can comprehend. It's too bad you've finally destroyed her." Cody's voice dropped low and was so full of emotion that I almost believed he truly loved her. Almost.

"What are you talking about?" Jason snapped, but his voice cracked on the last syllable. His eyes that could hide no emotion clearly displayed every ounce of pain he was in.

"Check her room and then give me a call when you've decided that you want to die." And then Cody was gone.

Jason turned unwillingly to the stairs as if he was trying to see through the walls and up into Claire's room. He walked slowly to the bottom before he started to ascend the steps. I heard him open the door.

I started to wonder what could possibly be waiting in Claire's room and what Cody meant by Jason destroying her when I heard it.

The agonizing sound of a tortured man.


	25. Chapter 24: Nothing

24. Nothing

"Her mind's blank. I'm not reading anything. It's like she's asleep." Syd finally said after a moment of concentration. "I can't find her." She opened her eyes and let out a sound of disgust.

"She's a vampire." Jason snapped. "She can't sleep."

"Does she look awake to you?" Syd returned with an edge to her voice. "Besides, I don't know what Cody did to her to bring her back. He could have turned her human again for all we know." Syd glanced at Claire longingly and put a hand to her neck. "No pulse." She murmured.

Jason, still impatient, said, "Then how is she breathing?"

Syd spun and glared at Jason. She pushed him into the wall with a growl. "If I knew, do you think I wouldn't be telling you right now? Why do you care anyway? You wanted her back in the grave as soon as you found out she's alive! Well," Syd pointed to Claire, "You got your wish! Are you happy now?"

Jason recoiled as if Syd had hit him. "Of course I'm not happy." He whispered, and then he left the room with the rest of us staring at him in silence.

I looked over Claire again. She still laid in the exact same position she was in when I first saw her when I followed Jason's screams. I found him next to her bed, on his knees, yelling into his hands. His pain was so palpable that I felt that I was Jason, like his pain was my pain. It technically is. For a moment I saw the old Jason who loved Claire with such a passion that it made me heartsick for her too. I didn't have the courage to go near him.

Everyone had piled into the room by then, seeing the same thing I saw: Claire lying on the bed, her hands limply resting in her chest with claw marks on her neck. I assumed she had scratched herself, like she was trying to dig out the pain inside her. Her face was relaxed except for her open jaw that made it look like she was screaming. The only movement that came from Claire was her moving chest as she breathed. Everyone had the same question on their mind, but no one could answer what happened to Claire.

Syd was the first person we turned to. After Taylor was able to pick Jason off the floor, Syd sat in the bed next to Claire, careful not to touch her, and closed her eyes. She stayed frozen like that for twenty minutes, but she couldn't find a sign of life in her other than Claire breathing. Syd was right; it's like Claire wasn't there.

Cody's word flooded back into my mind. _"It's too bad you've finally destroyed her."_ Did he really mean that, or was he just messing with us? With Jason? I took it as a sick joke, but then the last conversation between Claire and Jason begged to differ. He claimed that he hated Claire and that he wanted nothing to do with her. Is that want sent her over the edge? But how could she just…die? I wanted to believe that Cody hurt her, but something in the back of my mind told me this wasn't true.

Cody knew more than he was letting on, I was sure of it. He knew that something was even up with Claire. Without his tip we probably would never have found her. We assumed she left when she really was upstairs all along, but she might as well be gone anyway. Claire wasn't in that body.

So what was breathing for her?

More than anything I wanted to burst from that room, but I couldn't seem to move my feet. I couldn't make myself move one step away from Claire. It finally hit me that I lost her again. I finally got her back, I finally was able to touch her, to be with her, and she was gone. She was…I couldn't even think the word. To say it would make it so final, so irreversible. How was I going to live with this a second time?

A small hand pressed against my back, its warmth and touch so familiar that I didn't have to turn to know it was Amber who stood next to me. I looked at her anyway. Her face was slowly returning to its normal color and her hair was starting to grow out again. But her eyes reflected my sadness and I could only guess what I looked like to her: a broken man.

She leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around her petite body. Amber's head rested on my chest perfectly like it used to. I could never fully express the joy I felt about having her back, but I couldn't even enjoy now. Cody has even taken that away from me along with Claire. Would he finally stop now that she was really gone this time? The only answer I could come up with was probably not.

"I didn't even get to know her." I said softly.

Amber sighed and curled in closer to me. "I'm sorry."

"It's not fair." Complaining was going to get me nowhere, but it's the only thing I could say that fit. It really wasn't fair. Why would Claire leave me like this again? Didn't she know how much I needed her?

"I know."

That night, after a few more attempts at trying to read Claire's mind and a call to Carlisle who said he would be here in the morning, I lay with Amber in my bed with my arms around her, refusing to let go. Now that I had her back, I was afraid of losing her as well. I woke up a few times that night, yelling Amber's name. It took her minutes to calm me down from the nightmare and to make me realize that she was still here. I never realized how venerable I was until that night.

I also never realized the same with Jason.

I was sad to say that I believed him when he told Claire he hated her. His words sounded so sincere and true in his voice that I didn't doubt for a moment that he meant them. But I was proved wrong.

During the night, I heard a sound of crying coming from down the hall. I silently pulled myself away from Amber and crept down the hall. The sounds led to Claire's room. Through the crack of the opened door I saw Jason on Claire's bed, holding Claire in his arms and rocking back and forth. He buried his head in her shoulder and that muffled his sobs.

"I'm so sorry. I never wanted this. I'm an idiot, I know." he would say to her. "Please don't leave me alone again. Please come back to me." his begging was interrupted with sobs. "I've missed you so much and when you came back I was just hurt and angry. I'm so sorry, Claire. Come back, please come back." Jason moaned. "I love you, Claire. I always have and I always will. Come back to me and let me prove that to you. You promised me forever." He looked at her sadly and pushed the hair from her motionless face. "You promised remember?" he pulled something off his hand and I realized that it was a wedding band. "Forever, Claire. You promised." The way he looked at her was like he expected her to respond, to pour of her heart to him just as he did, and to tell him that she loved him. But she didn't have any words to give to him.

All he heard was nothing.

I caught a glimpse of who Jason used to be when he was human that night. I saw the man he used to be and the man I so desperately wanted him to be again. At that moment I wanted Claire back more than anything. She brought something out of him that was kind and gentle and loving. I wanted him to be like that again. I wanted her to wake from her comatose and make Jason the person he used to be.

I wanted her to make us a family.

All of a sudden I knew what I needed to do. I turned away from the door and sprinted down the hall. I ran past Angel and Skylar who shouted in alarm, but I couldn't stop. I had to find answers. I had to find Cody.

The Colorado air at night was crisp and chilly, but I paid no mind to it. The chill had no effect on me as I ran through the streets without bothering to get my car. It would only slow me down.

I pictured and animal, the fastest animal I could think of that would get me to my destination in the blink of an eye. Something unseen pulled at my limbs as I transformed from the inside out. My bones grew into unfamiliar shapes as I shifted, but for some reason I felt more comfortable with the new body than I did my own. I dropped to all fours once the shifting was complete and I could feel my large lips pulled up in a smile.

As I ran, I caught a glimpse of myself in the window of a car. I was an extremely huge Cheetah. I was a bright yellow with dots of black covering my body. My body closed in on itself as I ran and then exploded out in a bound that covered twenty feet in two seconds. I was a Cheetah on steroids and meth and about the size of a massive horse. I was pleased with my form.

I had no idea where I was going. I let my instincts take over and guide me to where I needed to go. I had been running for about ten minutes with no luck when I caught a fresh scent of a vampire. It reeked of power and arrogance. There was no doubt in my mind that I had found Cody.

There was no hesitation in my moments. I turned on a dime and followed the scent. It took me to the mountains in Colorado. I scaled the sides of cliffs faster than a bird could've flown over it. Before I knew it, I was on the edge of a mountain where a cave was carved into the rock. I sniffed the air, expecting some sign of attack, but I found none.

A low laugh came from the cave, its sound bouncing off the rocks and vibrating in my sensitive ears. I crouched low and prepared myself for a fight.

Cody walked out from the mouth of the cave, clapping his hands with a stupid grin on his face. I fought the urge to swipe off his face with my paw, which was far larger than his pompous head.

He raised his eyebrows. "Pompous? Nice touch." He was clearly mocking me.

I growled in response.

He held up his hands. "I'm not going to fight you, Jonathan. I've been waiting for you actually. I knew you'd come."

I swished my tail, not trusting him.

"You seek answers don't you?"

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. I closed my eyes and focused on my human form until I felt my body slowly forming into what I pictured. When I opened my eyes, I was normal again.

"Yes." I answered.

"I may not be able to answer everything, but I'll try to." There was something about his voice that sounded so…so human. The way he was talking to me was like he was trying to be friendly, to be kind. It was weird. He nodded his head towards the cave. "C'mon." he turned his back to me and the darkness swallowed him as he entered the cave.

I hesitated. It was possible that it could be a trap. But Cody could've killed me the moment he saw me. He could've killed me in my sleep before I even woke up. He could've killed me a lot of times, but he didn't. If he really wanted me dead, I would've been dead by now. I was trusting that this wasn't a trap. As hard as it was for me to believe, I was trusting Cody with my life for the moment.

So I followed Cody.

* * *

His cave was not what I was expecting. I pictured a dank, cold place with bugs, mice, and rats crawling all over the rock floor. I was expecting the chill of the night air and for it to be pitch black. I wasn't expecting what I really saw.

The floor was covered by wood panels that stretched to the sides of the cave and then back deeper into the cave-deeper than I could see. The walls were sanded down into a smooth curve to the ceiling and then to the bottom of the other side. From the looks of it, it looked to be in the shape of a perfect semi-circle. Farther back was some furniture and carpets placed in different places, but all of them were facing the giant granite fireplace that had a fire burning. Pictures and portraits of nature hung from the wall. The air even smelled good. It was dry instead of damp like most caves. The place had a feel of home to it. The way Cody decorated it made it feel like this was something out of a magazine.

I understood that. Hell, if I had the power to make a cave like a million dollar home, I would in a heartbeat. It beat living in a damp crap-hole. So after seeing all that, it didn't shock me as bad as what I saw next.

Far back in the cave next to the wall was a bed. But it wasn't just any bed. It was a king-sized bed with large posts on every corner and a white, silk sheet draped over each corning, covering the bed like a curtain. That wasn't what bothered me. Next I noticed that both sides had been used recently. It wasn't that Cody just switched sides. So why? Cody didn't need to sleep. The only reason he would even lay in a bed would be if…

It hit me like a cinderblock fell on my head. The conversation with Cody earlier resurfaced. _"And have you seen Claire? She hasn't been home for the past few days."_ I remembered how he said the word _home_, how he implied that she was living with him. It didn't make sense then, but it did now.

Claire was living with him. She stayed her with him and slept in the same bed as him. Maybe she even slept with him-no, Claire wouldn't do that. Would she? Would Claire do that to us, to Jason? Then I thought about how much of a jerk Jason was to her and how manipulative Cody can be. She'd come crying to him and he would comfort her. Their bond was stronger than I thought. She really did love him.

"She would be so upset about Jason when she'd show up. She was so crushed about his reaction. She knew he would be mad, but she always thought he would never abandon her like that. Claire believed that Jason would always love her." His voice seemed forced, like the words he said actually hurt him. His face displayed high levels of pain when I looked at him.

Cody looked so fragile, so pained that I became confused. I didn't know what to make of this. In my mind he had always been the bad guy, the one who made everything worse. He proved that time and time again. But the way Claire talked about him from before and how Amber described him, he seemed like he used to be a decent guy and he had his moments. That the only reason he was such an ass was because Claire said he was and he would always protect Claire and never call out her lie. I became confused over who Cody Evans truly was, a decent or a deranged guy?

"I'm not a monster." Cody said after the silence between us became stiff. "I've been made into one. I really used to be a decent guy. I've just been living like it for so long, I believed the lie. And it was such a web of lies that I couldn't escape without hurting Claire." He rubbed the back of his head. A human move. "Everything I've done, I've done to protect her."

I didn't know what to say. There wasn't anything I really _could_ say right now. I came for answers and all I've gained by this has been confusion.

"And Amber? Was hurting her protecting Claire?"

"All part of the lie." He replied. Part of me wanted to believe him.

"She's innocent. She's not part of this world. Amber doesn't deserve this."

Cody chuckled softly. "She has more of a part in it that you know."

I didn't know what he meant by that and I didn't care. Amber's face flashed in front of my eyes. When she was hurt, when she was sad, when she was scared. How afraid she was when she told me the truth, how she was only doing it to protect me. All I saw was the trouble that Cody caused us, how he damaged both of us. Amber dying on my bed, Amber attempting to get high in my bathroom, Amber kissing the guy in the alley, Amber throwing her phone at me before she left, Amber telling me she loved me. Cody hurt her, almost killed her. All of this was his fault. I couldn't believe that I almost fell for his bullshit. Cody was never a decent guy. I wasn't here to make small talk with him. I was here to find answers about Claire.

"Enough." I snapped. "I don't believe your stupid sob story. I'm here to find a way to bring Claire back. That's it. You don't get to talk about Amber. You don't get to mention her name. Got it? Amber stays out of this conversation."

He sighed. "Sounds fair, Jonathan."

"Now, tell me how to revive Claire."

Cody turned to look at me. "First you need to know that Claire isn't coming back. She's gone. There's nothing I can do to help her. She's dead."

"No. she's still there. She's breathing. I can see it."

Cody shook his head. He was about to speak, but I cut him off.

"Then what's breathing for her?" I demanded.

"Something much, much worse."

All I said was nothing.


	26. Chapter 25: Snapped

25. Snapped

"So are you going to tell me what's inside of her or not?" I asked impatiently. I took a seat on a leather chair, which was more comfortable than I had originally thought. I fought the urge to relax and let my guard down. No matter how friendly Cody seemed, I knew better than to believe his lies.

Cody leaned against the wall across from me and folded his arms. "Bringing Claire back was more difficult than you could imagine. It goes against every law of nature there is. When something dies, it's supposed to stay dead. I knew there were risks, but Claire didn't care. She wanted to come back, and I couldn't deny her like that. I was never able to tell her no…Bringing her back was supposed to be a one time thing, she wasn't supposed to leave again. She put all of her hopes and dreams in that stupid boy, and this is how he treats her!" Tiles fell to the ground in little specks and Cody crushed them with his fist. "She gave up everything for him, and he can't even see what's right in front of him. Jason will never be able to see how much she loves him." His voice grew soft at the end. I could almost feel how he felt about Claire, how jealous he was of Jason.

"Jason was never the brightest crayon in the crayola box." I gave a small smile. Cody laughed and for a second I saw what Claire must've seen in him years ago.

"And she's not coming back this time? You can't do it again?"

He shook his head. "A soul, once severed, isn't supposed to come back together even one time. To be able to bring it back a second time…impossible. Claire's gone. He finally destroyed her. Bastard. I actually had her back, and he drove her away! I was closer to her than I had ever been, and now she's gone."

"Now you know how I feel." I told him, dismissing any kind feeling I had for him. I had let him get inside my head, let him make me soft with his words of love and loss. He was the one who took Amber from me. It was his fault we were in this mess in the first place. "Not fun to lose someone you love is it?"

He glared at me. "You child. You don't even know what love is yet."

"I don't know what love is? Are you kidding me right now? I love Amber more than anything in the world. I would do anything for her." How dare he! He knew nothing of my feelings for her. Just because our relationship was different than whatever he and Claire had, doesn't mean it's not love. "I love her, and she loves me."

That sent Cody into a fit of laughter. "Amber? Love you? What a joke, Jonathan. She's using you, and you can't even see it."

"Whatever, Cody. I'm done with your lies. You can't keep us apart. Amber came back to me."

"For now. While it's convient. Just let me remind you, it wasn't _your_ name she was sighing in bed. She was glad to be rid of you. She couldn't stand how you slept with all those women. You broke her heart long before she broke yours. You had it coming, you son of-"

_Snap._

Cody flew across the room, smashing into the tiles on the walls. Rock rolled on the floor and dust billowed in the air, spreading a soft haze throughout the room. I flexed the muscles in my hand, ignoring the pain in my knuckles from the impact of Cody's hard head. Red clouded my vision, and all I saw was the pain Cody had inflicted on me, the pain I was going to return to him. I felt it, that same flow of energy I felt before when I phased, but I didn't want to phase. Instead I embraced the power that normally I would've shied away from. But something inside me snapped. Cody was going to pay for what he had done.

I was on Cody before the last piece of tile from the wall fell. I picked him up by his throat and slammed him into the wall. Larger pieces of rocks fell from the wall. A deafening sound echoed in the cave. It took me a second to realize it a deep growl coming from my own lungs. It sounded like a mix between rage and suffering. The sound would've normally scared me, but I didn't care. All I felt was the power in my limbs and the revenge I wanted to take out on Cody.

Amber's face came to mind. All of this was for her. All of the pain he caused us was finally getting justice. Amber throwing her phone at me-I broke his nose. Amber telling me she didn't want me-I threw his right arm across the room. Amber almost dying in my arms-I bit a chunk of his throat out. I beat every inch of Cody that I could get my hands on. I took it all out on him. Every hurt, pain, suffering, and heartbreak I felt I took out on the man in front of me. It was his fault that all of this was happening to me. It was his fault that Claire was gone. It was his fault my life was screwed up. His fault that the girl I love left me. His fault she took to drugs. His fault that she almost died.

I grasped his face his face in my hands and heaved him into the floor. I punched his face over and over. The power I felt never melted away. It enevr died out. In fact, it felt like it was growing stronger as time went on. I never thought about where this power came from, but I didn't care at that point. I finally had the upper hand when it came to Cody, and I planned on ending his worthless existence with this new gift.

Hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from Cody. I landed roughly on my back and slid on the floor for a few feet. Another body jumped on top of mine and pinned my wrists to the floor. I flailed under this new weight, trying to find a weakness in this new foe. Finally I twisted my legs around its waist and pushed it off of me. I clawed at the floor to get back to Cody, but it grabbed my leg, pulling me back to it. I roared in frustration and kicked with all my might, but whoever it was wouldn't let go.

"Jonathan! Jonathan, stop!" the voice was strangely familiar. "Jonathan, you have to calm down! Just stop!"

But I didn't want to calm down. I was just getting started. Instead of pulling away from my foe, I rushed towards him and punched him, throwing him back into another wall. A loud _crack _resounded in the cave. I whirled my head around, trying to locate Cody. I found him merely feet away, moaning and trying to crawl away. I sneered and leaped for him. I only landed one punch when he came back, this time with more force.

His hands wrapped around my throat with more strength than I anticipated. I tried to escape the same way I had before, but he was ready for that. He held my legs down with his knees. I clawed at his back, but he didn't seem like he noticed. I cried out in rage. I had to finish Cody off. He wouldn't stop me!

"Jonathan! Get a hold of yourself! Don't let him do this to you!" I was suddenly able to place the voice.

"Skylar, get off." I growled. I took a deep breath and channeled all my energy into getting him off of me. But I never had the chance to use it.

"Angel, now!"

There was a twist in my stomach and the ground underneath me disappeared and then reappeared in an instant. I crashed to the ground. My mind was spinning and I could barely understand what was going on around me. Ut I didn't need to understand. I only needed to feel.

Rage. Skylar ruined it. He ruined my chance of getting rid of that monster. I reached for him, finding his body next to mine. I wrapped my fingers around his throat, just as he had mine, and squeezed. I kept slamming his head against the ground. He ruined it. How could he do this to me?

More hands pulled at me, holding me to the ground. Voices shouted my name, but I didn't let them get to me.

"Traitor!" I screamed. "I had him! He was going to pay!" slowly the anger started to fade away and the fog in my mind cleared. "He was going to pay." My voice was softer as I kept repeating it. "He was going to pay." Arms cradled my head, arms that I knew all too well. Her hands played with my hair, her voice gently singing in my ear. "He was going to pay, Amber."

"I know, babe. I know."

Then it all went black.


	27. Chapter 26: Awake

26. Awake

I dreamed, but what I saw was more like a nightmare. I was standing back in Cody's cave, far back at the mouth of it. There were three people lying in the bed. One I recognized as Cody, but the others' faces were hidden from my sight. One was playing with his hair while the other was on top of him, kissing him, touching him. The one playing with his hair had long, brown hair that almost had a red hue to it. The other had blond hair. The one with brown hair laughed, and I fell to my knees at the sound. I knew that laugh anywhere.

Amber was sitting at Cody's head. Her hands clutched his chest and moved down his stomach. She tore open his shirt and began to kiss his neck. She moaned his name. My stomach lurched, and all I wanted was to wake up from this nightmare, but I couldn't. I was trapped here to watch the person I loved most kiss another man. It was too much for me.

Then the dream shifted, but stayed the same. The only thing that changed was the people in it. Suddenly it was Claire and Jason, holding each other close, laughing and kissing each other. They seemed happy, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight. Then Claire growled. It was a menacing sound, a sound that made the hairs on my neck stand up and give me chills. Her caressing fingers transformed into lethal claws that wrapped around Jason's neck and strangled him. With a grunt, she ripped his head from his shoulders. His chest burst into flames and soon consumed his whole body. The whole time Jason was screaming in agony. I wanted to help him, but my feet were unable to move an inch. Claire turned and faced me, a smile on her face that didn't express her joy. It expressed her pleasure at his death. A few second later, Jason stopped moving. He was dead. Claire killed him.

"_No!_" I jolted upright where I was lying. I was breathing heavily and I was drenched in sweat. My shirt clung to my chest. For only a moment I was still stuck in the dream, but now I was awake. I wasn't trapped there anymore. It wasn't real. "It wasn't real." I whispered quietly.

But it felt more real than I could ever explain.

A cool hand pressed against my forehead. My eyes focused on the face in front of me.

"Amber." I breathed. Seeing her face was more calming than any drug I could have taken. I cupped her hand in my face. Her smooth skin felt like silk against my scarred palm.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, helping my lean back against some pillows. I realized that I was back in my room-our room now. She sat down on the bed next to me and poured a glass of water. She handed it to me.

"Like I just beat the crap out of a concrete house." She laughed at my joke. Her smile took my breath away. I took a sip of my water and noticed something different about Amber. "Your hair." I said, amazed. Her hair, short and fiery, was now the same shade of rich mahagony that I remembered from years ago. It was also longer now, almost down to her shoulders.

She beamed at me and pushed her hair behind her ears. "Taylor stripped it this morning. I thought you would like it better."

"Why did you dye it in the first place?"

Amber averted her eyes from mine and instead stared down at the bed. "You hate pink."

I knew it wasn't funny, but I couldn't help but to laugh.

She shoved me. "Stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry." I said between laughs. It was just the thought of Amber trying to get back at me. I pictured her disgust as she dried her hair, now stuck with the new bright color of pink. My stomach began to ache. "But if you really wanted to do something in spite of me, you didn't have to take it out on your hair."

"And what would you have suggested I do instead?" her lips pulled up in another breathtaking smile.

"Well, for starters, your face could use some work-"

Amber flipped her legs across my waist and held my arms down. I weakly attempted to fend off her kisses, but it wasn't long before I let her mouth reach mine. The taste of her breath made my head dizzy. I pulled her closer to me, tangling my fingers in her hair. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on my shirt, but she had it off before long. Her hands traced the ridges on my chest and down my stomach. For a moment she pulled away from my face and leaned close to my ear.

"I love you."

My heart swelled to the point where it almost hurt. Those words were the most important things to me. I would do anything to keep hearing them. And I would do anything to protect them.

"And I love you." I told her.

"You know, you're kind of cute when you're hurt."

"And when I'm healthy?"

She brushed the hair away from my face. Her eyes, her beautiful honey eyes with little specks on chocolate in them, gazed into mine as if she saw my very soul. "You are the most beautiful man I know."

I smiled at her in return.

"Am I interrupting?"

Jason stood in the doorway. His face was worn and tired, but he had a small smile on it. He folded his arms, his eyes watching us. As I looked closer I saw the dark circles under his eyes, which were bloodshot. From what I could see, he hadn't slept since I last saw him and he had been crying for hours. He made my pain from losing Amber look like I merely stubbed my toe.

"Not at all." Amber said somewhat nervously. She pushed herself off of me and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"Don't worry. Claire and I were caught many times doing worse things than that." He winked at me.

I pretended to gag. "Dad." I groaned. Amber laughed softly.

"So what's this I hear about a certain son of mine beating Cody's well deserved ass?" he put his hand on my shoulder and smiled at me.

"He had it coming. Besides, you couldn't do it so someone had to."

Jason laughed. "I guess so." He looked at Amber. "Amber, could you give us a moment?"

She nodded before she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"What happened back there? Skylar said you were acting like a possessed man. He couldn't get you to stop fighting him. He said it was like you weren't in there anymore. Your eyes were empty of any feeling other than rage."

"It's hard to remember. It's kind of fuzzy. It's like something inside me snapped." I shook my head, unable to get a clear image of the events that passed last night. "It was weird. Like the power I feel when phasing, but different. Like it had a different intention, like it knew what I wanted and gave me a way to do it."

"And what did you want?"

"I wanted Cody to pay, to feel the pain I felt, to know that the hurt he has caused us won't go unpunished."

"You sound like your mother." He looked down at his hands. "You always took from her side." He laughed without any humor.

"I even got her dashing good looks." I teased lightly, hoping to make him feel better.

He smiled, but then he frowned. "Jon, I never blamed you for her death. Those things I said were out of anger, anger that was never meant for you. You were the greatest blessing I ever got from her. You deserve much better than I could ever be as a father. I love you, Jonathan, and I always will."

"I know. Trust me, I know." I wrapped my arms around him. "I-I love you too, Dad."

He was hesitant when he put his hands on my back, but finally he returned the hug. This may have been the first time since I rebelled against my family, that Jason and I actually had a bonding moment. It was strangely conforting.

But our moment didn't last long.

"Jason, Jonathan, come quick. She's moving." Angel trilled, moving past my room.

We didn't waste time in moving to Claire's room, where she had sat dormant for weeks. But now that had all changed. When we entered the room, everyone made way for us, giving us a clear view of her. She was indeed moving. Her fingers twitched, her legs made strange movements. She groaned.

Jason raced to her side and grabbed her hand. "Claire." He whispered. "Come back to me, love."

Her head tossed from side to side.

She opened her eyes.

And then she went for his throat.


	28. Chapter 27: Turning point

27. Turning point

Claire lunged for Jason, a wild snarl rumbling from her chest. Her teeth grazed his throat before he had time to react and flinch away from her attack. Claire landed feet from me, spun on the balls of her feet, and went back for him. But she didn't have time to jump before she was on the ground, flat on her back like someone was holding her down. It took me a few seconds to realize that Taylor was using her gift to stop Claire.

Jason stared at Claire as she struggled under Taylor's power. He held his palm to his throat, keeping the blood from rushing out until his skin repaired itself. He looked utterly shocked and confused, but that was most of our expressions at the moment.

Claire looked like a wild animal, caged but still fighting for freedom. She thrashed and kicked, but she couldn't escape Taylor. I caught a glimpse of her eyes: black, soulless orbs that reflected no feeling or emotion other than rage. I thought of the time I saw into Claire's soul when I first saw her, the darkness with a light at the very core of her. In these eyes, all I saw was the pitch black. There was no light at the end of this tunnel. Instinctively I knew.

That wasn't Claire.

My conversation with Cody resurfaced.

_"Then what's breathing for her?"_

_"Something much, much worse."_

Something worse than Claire, the most feared Vampire around, other than Cody. What could possibly be worse than her, even if she came back a full Vampire?

The thought struck a chord in a distant memory. A full Vampire. In retrospect, there are no full Vampires anymore. The flood killed them all, all but Cody according to the story Jason told me a while ago. Those Vampires were called Nephilim. Apparently they were scary creatures that had no morals, no loyalty, no anything. There were no boundaries to them. They did what they pleased with no respect for life. It's like the Vampires now, but they were stronger, fiercer, and their thirst could never be quenched. Is this what Cody meant by something worse? That somehow the Nephilim in Claire is still alive, and now with her gone, is emerging?

I felt my blood run cold. If what I thought was true, then a new breed could be starting all over again. Taylor wouldn't be able to hold her for long, and we couldn't fight her. The only one able to stop Claire would be, well Claire. Isn't irony sweet? How could we stop her? Kill her? I shuddered at the thought. To kill her at the moment she came back. I doubted that anyone of us could actually kill her.

A harsh laughter shook me from my thoughts. Claire was finally still on the floor, staring at Jason, laughing. It was the kind of laugh that made my skin crawl and made me want to dash for the nearest pit of fire. It reminded me of the cackle of a hyena.

"You don't get it." She said, except that it wasn't her voice that I heard. It had her sound, but it was hollow of Claire. It just wasn't the same. I had the strange feeling of being a mouse, and she was the cat playing with us.

"Get what?" Jason stammered out. He was still bewildered, confused.

Another round of cackling started. "You don't even know that they're playing you. So blind, Jason. If you don't open your eyes, everything will change."

Jason rolled his eyes in annoyance. "What else could change around here?"

"This is true. Your life already sucks. How could it get worse? Your parents are dead, your girlfriend is dead, your son hates you, your family is falling apart-what else could happen to you?" she had a knowing smile.

Claire grimaced in pain, pressing her hands against her head. She growled and thrashed around again. "Stop!" she yelled at no one. "Get out!"

I looked around, hoping someone would be able to explain what was going on, but everyone else was doing the same thing. She looked like she was fighting something, but what? Herself? Some unseen force?

After a minute of struggling, she lay still. Her eyes darted around until they found mine. She kept my gaze. I could see the pain, the hurt, and the suffering in those eyes. She was weak. Something was hurting her, causing her pain. When she knew that she had my attention, she spoke. "Help me." She pleaded. Then her eyes rolled in the back of her head, and her body shook violently.

Jason grabbed her hand, unsure of what was happening. "Claire?"

Her arm shot out and hit him in the jaw, knocking him across the room.

Claire, who had a look of rage, suddenly looked sorry. "Jason. Jason, I'm so sorry. I can't-" her voice cut off. "Cody." She rasped. "Get Cody."

If there ever was a face in so much pain, it would've been Jason's. I never had seen someone hurt like that, like his world had crashed down. Here she was, in trouble, and she had asked for Cody, not Jason. She wanted Cody's help, not Jason's. That must have crushed him.

Then, as if he had been there all along, Cody appeared. He always came out of no where, but there he was, just as Claire had asked. He rushed over to Claire, pushed Jason out of the way with a flick of his finger, and kneeled by her side.

"I'm here, love." He brushed her hair away from her face and smiled at her. He put his hands on her head, then moved down her neck, down her chest, her stomach, and then her waist. He kissed her forhead.

"I can't fight it, Cody. It's too strong." Claire winced. "I'm going to lose." She shook more. She let out a scream that made my ears feel like they were bleeding.

"Hold on, Claire. You can do this. You've come back somehow. Fight harder." He told her in a soothing voice. "Don't leave me again. Please, Claire."

"Make it go away." She whined, her entire body moving as if she was preparing to phase.

"You're stronger than it, Claire. Don't let it win. Stay with me, baby." The more he spoke to her, the more in control Claire seemed to be over whatever was fighting her. She looked tougher, stronger, more able to take on her battle. I hated to admit it, but Cody gave Claire something that Jason couldn't.

He gave Claire a part of herself, a part that she could never achieve by herself.

She swallowed roughly and then was still. Silence fell upon the room. The air felt stagnant and thick as we waited for some sign that Claire was there. I could hear my heart beat and the blood pumping through the veins. It was so loud to me, I was sure that even Amber could hear it. Everyone held their breath. Cody mumbled something to Claire in another language.

Claire slowly opened her eyes, as if that little action took a large amount of effort. She sat up and looked around, focusing on everything and everyone. Her eyes seemed to stay on Jason and I just a fraction longer, but I could've been wrong. When her eyes, her red eyes, caught mine, I knew that this was actually Claire. I could feel her soul this time, I could feel her looking at me. Relief washed over me.

"Claire." Cody breathed. "You did it."

She beamed at him, her beauty was radiant enough to light of the room. "We did it." She corrected. She pressed her palm to his face and stroked his cheek with her thumb. Her face then grew serious. "I don't want to pretend anymore."

Cody nodded in understanding. He understood what she was saying, but I had no clue. Pretending? What was she pretending? "Okay."

She stood up, dusted the dirt off her jeans, and looked straight at Jason. "There's something I need to tell you." She opened her mouth to continue, but Jason beat her to it.

He rushed to her side and grabbed her hand. "I'm so sorry I hurt you, babe. I was stupid and arrogant and retarded. I let my pride get in the way. I was so happy that you came back and I had no right to treat you the way I did. You always forgave me for worse things. I know now that you did everything for me and Jonathan. Claire, I love you with all my heart. Do you still love me?"

Claire smiled softly and gave a sweet laugh. She sounded happy, so I didn't expect or understand the words she said next.

"No."


	29. Chapter 28: Betrayed

28. Betrayed

Jason's face was still smiling when she said the words, but as they sunk in, his golden beam slowly faded into a dark shade of gray. His eyes, which glowed with happiness, were now hidden in a deep pool of anguish and pain. Jason no longer stood tall and firm-his shoulders slouched and his back stiffened. He had no idea how to react. He had no clue what she was saying, what she even meant.

Not that anyone did. We all stood there, not comprehending what was really going on. She said no? Claire, the very embodiment of love for Jason, said no? The girl who fought so hard for him and came back to life for him, said no? I pinched my arm, making sure I was still awake. I checked my pulse, confirming that I was still alive. I wanted to slap Claire and make sure she was thinking straight. Of course she couldn't be. She loved Jason. This was just a joke.

But it wasn't.

And still Claire smiled like nothing was wrong. In fact she looked relieved at what she said, like it let out a huge burden she had been carrying on her shoulders. But why was there a burden to begin with? Since when did she stop loving Jason? She looked so hurt when he said those things to her…

Confusion wasn't even close to enough to describe what I was feeling at that point.

"No?" Jason finally was able to get out. He half smiled, trying to play it off, but his eyes always revealed what he was feeling. And his eyes looked like he was burning at the stake.

She nodded. "Nope. Take it in, pretty boy. I. Do. Not. Love. You." She smiled like the words she said would somehow make him feel better or as she had just given him a compliment.

Silence followed. No one knew what to say or even do. Everything had been so right for just a moment, and now everything was spinning out of control. Jason had finally owned up to everything he had done, and she just rejected him as quickly as if she never loved him.

"I don't understand." Jason whispered. He looked like he was fighting hard to keep the pain from showing, but I could easily see his eyes were turning red and his body was trembling. He was probably in more pain than I realized, but I knew he was suffering.

Cody grabbed Claire's arm and pulled her close to him. She didn't resist; she actually seemed like she _wanted_ to be close to him. "Get it through your head, Jason. She chose the better man. You lose." He leaned his head in close to Claire's and kissed her. She kissed him back.

I thought I was going to barf.

I thought Jason was going to rip Cody's head off.

Claire broke away and laughed. "Oh how I've missed this."

"All this time, it was a lie? Everything we've ever shared?" Jason's voice trembled as he spoke. I was worried that he would start to cry right then and there. He had no control over his emotions, and he looked like he was on the edge.

"I was just waiting for the right moment. I didn't want to hurt your feelings." She shrugged her shoulders. "But now I simply don't care. You all annoy the crap out of me. I can't wait to get rid of you."

"Get rid of us?" Skylar questioned.

"Of course. You don't think I'd let you live, do you? I've waited a long time to finally destroy you. All of this," she waved her hands in the air and around herself "All that I've done-my death and coming back, was all part of a plan to destroy you. You all are worthless creatures that always whine about the tiniest things. I couldn't take it much longer. You're weak and powerless. I plan on wiping all of you off the face of this planet."

My mouth fell open. It took me a few moments to process all of what she was saying. Claire wanted to destroy us? She hated us like that? None of it made sense. Claire loved her family more than anything. She sacrificed everything for her family, she did all she could to protect us. She risked everything to save Jason countless times. Since when did she want us to die? When did her emotions flip? I thought back to when I first saw her. Claire had golden eyes, a warm smile, and a tender heart. She expressed so much love for me then. She displayed so much hurt over what had happened and what was going to happen until she could come back. How could she just change so suddenly? The last thing I wanted to do was believe what she was saying, but how could I deny what was right in front of me? I couldn't find a hint of lies in her eyes. She was serious. Which left me to one question.

What the hell was going on?

"And how do you plan on getting rid of us? We out number both of you. I could take you myself." Taylor, her former best friend, said sharply. I knew how hard it must have been for her to say that, but she sounded strong and sure. She grabbed Skylar's hand. Her face was fierce.

Claire snorted and Cody just snickered. "Please." He said. "The two most powerful Vampires in the world, the Volturi, and a witch against a small coven of Vampires who barely have any powers? You have no chance."

I felt Amber stiffen behind me.

"A witch?" I scoffed. "Where are you going to find a witch?"

"She's standing behind you." Claire replied smoothly, as if giving the end of a punch line and is waiting for the joke to sink in.

My blood turned cold as I turned to face Amber, who refused to look into my eyes. She was playing with her fingers and kept her eyes on the floor. "Amber?" I asked quietly, not quite getting what was going on. How had everything gotten so out of control?

"Looks like Amber's lied to you more than you know." Cody said right behind me, which made me jump. "I told you she had more in mind than you."

"Amber?" I repeated, my voice getting slightly higher. I wanted desperately to tell me that she had no idea what they were talking about. But the way she wouldn't look at me told me that I was only lying to myself, as she had been lying to me.

"Amber, come." Claire ordered.

Amber started to walk towards her.

I grabbed her arm and yanked her to me. I brought her chin up and forced her to look me in the eye. She was almost in tears. "Amber, what are you doing? Tell me this is all a joke. Please don't leave me again." I begged her. Tears started to spill over the rims of her eyes. "Don't do this."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry." Then she walked around me and over to Claire's side. I felt my entire world fall apart when she walked away. Not only had she left me once, but she did it again. The love of my life left me. Again.

I turned to face the three of them, two of them who betrayed me. Claire grabbed Amber's hand. Amber looked at her, as if she was asking her a question. Claire simply nodded, giving her a serious look. Amber took a deep breath and smiled.

My entire world crashed. I never wanted to die more than now.

"Claire will take care of that later, Jon." He smiled menacingly.

I lunged for him, but Jason took hold of my shoulder and pulled me back.

Claire clapped her hands and squealed. "Everything's turning out perfectly."

Cody pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "Just as I told you, love."

"I hope you both burn in Hell." Jason spat.

There. I saw it. When Jason said that to them, something flashed in Claire's eyes. His words struck a chord in her. I couldn't tell what emotion she let out, it disappeared too quickly to determine, but she definitely reacted to what he said.

"You keep it cozy and warm for us until we get there. If we do." Cody retorted and Claire laughed.

I couldn't believe what was happening right now. Claire was plotting to kill us, apparently she had been from the beginning; Amber was on their side, for who knows how long; everything I knew was falling apart. Nothing made sense. My head was spinning.

"I'll give you a week to prepare yourselves. Tell others your goodbyes or you can spend it training to attempt to defeat us. Good luck." Claire said coldly.

"Amber, please." I rushed to her and grabbed her shoulders. "Why are you doing this? I love you. _I love you._ Stay with me. I know I screw up, but I'm getting better."

"Goodbye, Jonathan." She said just as coldly as Claire. And then they were gone.

I fell to my knees and cried, begging for death to come faster.


	30. Chapter 29: Hope

29. Hope

She left me, I thought for what had to be the millionth time. My Amber left me. She walked away from me, but this time by her own will and that somehow made it worse. At least I knew that Amber had been coerced into leaving me, but this time? She walked with Claire. She left with her. She ignored my attempts to keep her here. Amber left me.

Again.

How many times must I go through this? Each time that I feel like I have a firm grasp on the situation, everything tends to slip through my fingers and crash on the floor. I have no control over my world anymore. Cody owns everything I love. He has Claire, and he has Amber. He might as well have ripped my heart from my body and burned it to ashes. At least that pain would only last a short while until I died. I was afraid that this pain would stay close to me. This pain was never going to leave my side, constantly reminding me what I had lost.

Amber.

What was I to do without her? Everything about my being revolved around her. I lost her once, but somehow I coped. Now? Losing her twice might actually kill me. If Claire didn't do that for me in a week.

A week! We had once week to prepare ourselves for this battle. It was our coven, the Cullens, and maybe Sylvia too, but we hadn't heard from them in years so I doubted that they would come to our aid. So that was it, two little covens against the Volturi, and the two most powerful Vampires in the world. Throw in a witch and I guess they would be called unstoppable.

That still blew my mind. Amber, my sweet little Amber, was a witch. She was human, innocent, the very embodiment of what perfect should be, and she was a witch, whatever the hell that meant. There were old scary stories that humans told about witches, but if they've gotten this wrong about Vampires being able to die with stakes, then what do they know about witches? When I thought of a witch, all that came to mind was ugly green skin, pointed hats, cauldrons, and spells. But none of that fit Amber. I mean how could she be a witch? Yeah, she did a lot of strange things sometimes, like talking in my head, but I figured it was a connection made between us because I was a Pryor-Wolf. Was it really because she was a witch?

What hurt worse was that she knew and didn't tell me. She obviously knew beforehand that Claire was going to leave us. Amber knew what Claire was planning. Amber knew she was plotting to kill us. Amber knew she was a witch. And she didn't tell me. Were all those words said only hours before just a part of the game? Had Amber really been with Cody this entire time, biding her time to trick us? Making me love her so she could continue to rip out my heart? Was it all a plan made years in advance? A plan to bring us all down?

It was too much to think about. My head was starting to get jumbled with every new thought I added to the pot. My brain could expand farther than any human's, but this was all just too much for me to take in. if I tried to figure out one more thing, my head might explode. I wondered if that was really such a bad thing.

My knees popped as I stood upright. I loosened my stiff muscles, regretting sitting here for so long, but I didn't have the will to move from that spot. When Amber left, I was too weak to do anything but fall to my knees, and so here I stayed for what felt like hours. Maybe it was even days. Some part of me stayed there hoping that she would return with the realization that she was wrong. But she didn't. I sat in that spot until everyone eventually filed out and left me alone.

There was an eerie silence throughout the house. I heard every step I took as I walked slowly down the hall. My normally quiet footfalls sounded like bullets in my head and I wondered if that's what they sounded like to everyone else. When I reached the corner that led to the stairs, I found that everyone was sitting in the living room, staring at different directions of the room, trying to solve the questions I had been asking myself for hours. Skylar looked disappointed in what he concluded while Angel seemed irritated that she couldn't understand what was going on. Taylor had a pissed off expression as she stood in the corner and glared out the window, but I could see how hurt she was and was sure that if she could shed a tear, she would've by now. Claire was her best friend, and she betrayed us all. Syd sat on the couch wrapped in Ben's arms and her expression resembled pain, but I wasn't sure how much of it came from her own pain or the pain that came from reading everyone else's' thoughts. Nick leaned against the railing of the stairs. He was the only one who reacted to my appearance, but his face was void of any emotion, like he was trying to forget it all.

Last, I glanced at Jason, and immediately wished I hadn't. He was the poster boy for torture. He might as well have been on fire because his face mirrored what he felt. His face looked deflated of any feeling that had to come with joy. Tears dripped down his cheeks and onto the wood panels, making light _thuds_. He made a funeral home look like a party kingdom, and I was sure the dead had more happiness than he did. Seeing his pain only reminded me of my own, but I couldn't imagine what he was going through. I was sure he was blaming himself-he had her here for weeks and he treated her like trash. Now that he wised up and realized his mistakes, it was too late. Claire was gone. And she took my Amber with her.

The atmosphere in this room was dark and somber, but there was something else there too. There was an aching loss, like something had been ripped from the core of this house. It was the same feeling I had when I was young and everyone missed Claire. I didn't understand what it felt like to lose her because I didn't know her, but when I heard her, the pain of losing her made me rebel. Now that same feeling of loss was back, but Claire wasn't dead. Claire had left on her own accord and planned to kill every one of us. The very core of our family was in shreds and no one really knew how to function. A piece was missing here, and it wouldn't be found until Claire returned.

Suddenly I grew furious. How dare she? How dare she do this to us? How dare she make us so dependent on her and then leave us like that. What right did she have to do that to us? What right did she have to choose whether we're good enough to live or die? She wasn't God, if a God did exist. If this is who Claire really was, then why were we grieving over her? She was a bitch in my book and her kind didn't earn my emotions. Why should we sit around and wallow in our own self pity when we could be figuring out a way to win the fight that was going to happen whether we wanted to or not.

"Screw them. Screw Claire. Screw Amber. Screw that piece of shit Cody. Screw them all!" I bursted, making everyone jump at my sudden volume. They all looked at me as if I had lost my mind, and maybe I had, but I was beyond caring at that point. "We don't need them. If it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they're gonna get!"

Taylor rolled her eyes and made an annoyed noise. "We can't fight them and possibly come out alive. It's nice that you're trying to rally the troops, but you don't understand Claire's power. We're no match for her." Others nodded in agreement.

"Not separated, but together we are." I said impatiently. They had already given up on any hope of surviving.

"This isn't some movie where there's always a happy ending, Jon. This is the real world with a real life ending. All of us fighting will only fend her off for a few seconds. All of us against her is impossible, but she also has Cody, the Volturi, and a witch. There's nothing we can do. We're stuck here, forced to wait for death."

I grunted and turned away from her, refusing to believe her words. There had to be some way to get through this. There had to be some way to get enough power to fight-

Suddenly I remembered a dream I had with a girl with sandy, blond hair who turned out to be Claire. She came in my dreams to warn me of something, trying to get me to understand. The dream resurfaced.

"_Jonathan, pay attention!" the girl slapped my face harshly before I turned to look at her again._

"_To what? There's nothing about me you know."_

_She closed her eyes and pinched her nose. "I know far more about yourself than you do, but you're not getting the bigger picture. You need to be careful, they will destroy you and your family."_

_I barked out laughter. "My mom is dead and my family has abandoned me. What else can I do but protect myself? I can do this on my own."_

_Her eyes, a color that I couldn't name, filled with a great sadness as I spoke of my mother, but she shook her head vigorously again. "No, Jonathan, you can't. You need Jason's help."_

_I hissed. "I don't need anyone's help but my own! Jason doesn't cant me and I don't want him to. We can't help each other for there is nothing to help! Jason is not stronger than me, there fore I do not need his assistance."_

"_You blind fool! Do you not get what I am telling you? Its like speaking to a wall." the girl took a deep breath, calming herself. "I'm here to warn you, but first you need to get that you and your father are equal. More equal than you will ever know."_

"_Then go harass his dreams and leave me alone. Tell him to request me back and maybe I'll think about it. And I don't even know what you are warning me about! How can I get help when I don't know what will soon be attacking me."_

_She sighed and looked around frantically. "Quickly, for they are coming. You need to train yourself to fight- _

Jason and I were more equal than I knew. I had to train myself to fight, but fight what? The dream always cut off before she finished. Was it possible that Claire was trying to warn about this way before I even knew she was still alive? Was this all part of her plan? Did she have something up her sleeve and was actually on our side? Or did she know that something inside her would snap and turn against us, and she wanted to give us every advantage she could?

But what did she mean when she talked about Jason? A memory of meeting Cody alone on that road with Amber on our first date, how I felt so complete to have Jason on his way, how Cody seemed fearful when he figured out aid was coming for me. Was there something inside of us that made us more powerful than we realized?

"It's us." I mumbled, not even realizing that I said the words aloud.

"Huh?" Taylor asked.

"It's us!" I repeated, more excited. "Jason, it's us. We're what can stop Cody."

They all stared at me, slightly more confused than before. No one said a word. Silence enveloped every corner of the room, which would've made it uncomfortable if I wasn't on a roll.

"I don't follow, Jonathan. What are you talking about?" Jason rubbed the back of his neck.

"Look, I had a dream years ago and Claire was in it. She somehow was able to get into my mind. She kept warning me that I needed to be prepared for some fight. The entire time she would repeat that I needed to get closer to Jason because we had something together that made us stronger. I think that she was trying to warn me about this moment, this fight. If we could find out what power is inside of us, we might be able to defeat Cody. We won't die."

I thought that they would laugh at me and pass me off as a lunatic, but they just stared at me as if they were trying to process what I said. They didn't deny it. They were seeing how possible my story was and if we in fact did have a chance.

Jason seemed to reach a conclusion before the rest of them. He simply nodded when he met my eyes. "Okay." He clapped his hands together and stood up. "I'm in. Where do we start?"

I sighed in relief. He didn't think I was crazy. He trusted me. After everything he had been through for the past couple of hours, he still had a little bit of hope to allow him to agree with me. I mean what did we have to lose anyway? We would die in a week if we didn't try. Even if I was wrong, we had something to fight for.

Hope flooded through me. We might have a chance. We could do something to change our fate. Cody thought he was unstoppable, king of the castle. But he wouldn't be king for long: his throne was about to be challenged.

"Okay." I said, taking a few steps towards Jason, feeling confident in my role. "This is what we need to do."


	31. Chapter 30: One

30. One

"Again!" I shouted at Jason as we lunged for Taylor, trying to bring our opponent down. Our hands almost grasped her arms, but I felt her shield press against my fingers, shoving me away from her. I pushed harder, but she returned with more force. Then she smiled and the power of her shield threw us back twenty feet. I bounced up on my toes, ready to go again.

"Jonathan, enough. We're not getting anywhere here." Jason heaved, clearly out of breath. He sat down on the grass in the open field which we occupied to practice our fighting. We had been at this for hours: Jason and I trying to combine our powers together to stop our opponent, but we always lost. We were doing something wrong, but what?

"We have to keep trying." I protested. We couldn't give up. Every second we spent resting was another second we lost at gaining an advantage.

Jason sighed. "I know how much you want this work, and it was a good idea, but I don't feel whatever you think I should be feeling. I don't know how to combine my power with yours. We're two separate people."

My shoulders fell in defeat. He was right. Whatever I felt when Jason came to my aid years ago wasn't here. I wished I could just summon up that power, but I couldn't. Maybe he was right and we just needed a break. A rest could do us good. Maybe even a quick nap.

"Alright." I conceded. "We'll try later." I thought about what Jason was saying. How could we figure out how to combine whatever we had inside of us when we were two separate people?

Then it hit me.

"Wait!" I called, energy filling my tired limbs. This new discovery was right. I could _feel _it. "I've got it!"

"What now?" groaned Angel. She obviously was thrilled at the idea of taking a break and going home.

"Remember when Claire first came back and she told us why she had to leave?" I asked them, hoping someone would put together the pieces.

"To protect me and you." Jason finally said after no one spoke up.

"Exactly. And she stayed with the Volturi so they wouldn't bother us because if they discovered Jason and me, they would kill us."

Jason nodded quickly, understanding where I was going. "They would kill us because we had something together that would destroy them."

Taylor let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, we understand that you both have some sort of power. That still doesn't explain how we get it out of you two."

"I know. After she said that, Claire told us that there's another reason why I look so much like Jason. It's not just because I'm his son. We have a certain connection that more than appearances. It's _mental._"

They stared blankly at me, so I elaborated.

"We're going at this all wrong. Jason and I fighting together isn't going to work. That's all physical. We have to think together. We have to become the same person."

"And how do we do that?" Jason couldn't hide the skepticism in his voice, and I didn't blame him. What I was saying sounded stupid and dumb, but this was our missing piece, this would work if we got it right.

"Like this." I reached out with my mind, trying to remember how it felt when Amber's mind touched mind. I tried to remember the sensation of putting my mind out there for others to feel. I didn't exactly know if I could, but I was hoping that since we were connected somehow that I could do it. I focused on Jason's mind and felt a familiar shiver as I made the connection.

Jason gasped as he felt it, but I focused harder, making sure I didn't break the chain.

Jason's mind, unlike Amber's, felt similar to mine, like we were the same person. A flood of memories rushed to me as I saw how he felt when Claire first kissed him, when she first told him she loved him, when she said yes to his proposal, when he saw her in her room after he beat her, when they first made love, and when he saw her die before his eyes. I felt them so vividly that it was like I was there in the actual moment. Jason did the same after he got over the initial shock of his mind being invaded. He flipped through all of my moments with Amber, and for the first time I felt like he finally understood my feelings for her. Now he would know that she was never just a game to me. She made into the person I used to be.

There was something there in both our minds, something waiting in the back for us. It flexed and breathed as I reached back and touched it. At the slightest contact it released the power it contained. It flowed through us, filling our arms, fingers, legs, and very core with the power it held. Warmth flooded through us. Energy cackled at our very fingertips.

I opened my eyes. I staggered back, not being able to comprehend what was wrong with my vision. I almost panicked until I realized why vision looked like something was overlapping it and it came from a different point of view: I was seeing through Jason's eyes as well as mine. I smiled in response.

_This is different,_ Jason said slowly in his mind, adjusting to having me there and also being inside my head.

_This is freaking cool!_ I wasn't sure whether I was more excited at that we figured it out or what I was finally right about something.

I could feel Jason's heartbeat, his breath, and every movement he made. I sensed his entire being, like I was a part of him. We were the same person, no longer separate. We could feel each other's strengths and weaknesses. We were powerful. We were unstoppable.

"_Again._" We said together. We instantly knew what each other wanted and how to accomplish what needed done. We took our stance in the field, ready to face whoever stood before us.

Taylor smirked, cracking her knuckles. She bent over in a crouch, a fierce growl rumbling from her chest. "This won't take long." Her confidence, we realized, was her weakness.

We flexed our muscles, figuring out how to move together and yet separate at the same time. We each took a step, and we realized how to control what we had.

We smiled menacingly. Taylor's own smile faltered as her confidence faded. We hadn't even made a move, but she knew that we would win. There was something in the air around us. Power rolled off of us in waves.

Taylor rocked back on her heels, clearly on the defensive this time. She threw her shield up around her, hoping it was enough to stop us.

We searched her shield with our eyes, looking for a hole, but I found none.

_Make one?_ Jason suggested.

I growled in agreement, balancing my weight on my toes. We charged for her, using speed that neither of us possessed before. We hit her shield at full force, but instead of bouncing back, we broke through it. Taylor quickly deflected my blow, but I knew I was only the distraction while Jason kicked her legs and she crumbled to the ground. We pinned her against the grass.

We won. We actually won.

Silence roared in the field. No one made any noise. No one made any movements. Everyone was just as stunned as we were. We actually pulled it off. We became one. We found our power.

I slowly left Jason's mind, letting myself get accustomed to being alone once again. My vision returned to normal and my thoughts grew quiet. I looked at Jason, feeling like I understood my father more than I ever have before. We were a part of each other now, more like the family we should've been a long time ago.

I grinned widely, giving Jason a hand to help him up. "Let's go kick some ass."


	32. Chapter 31: Crossroad

31. Cross-road

I flipped the switch, illuminating my room. I stepped inside for the first time since Amber left. It felt oddly different than the last time I was in here, like something was missing. I knew what was missing, but I didn't want to dwell on her too much. Doing so wouldn't help.

The room was just as I had left it. The covers were spilled over the side of the bed from where Amber and I rushed to the commotion on Claire's room. Articles of clothing were tossed around on the floor and neither of us bothered to pick them up. The chair was turned over from where Amber and I had a wrestling match one afternoon. Her scent still lingered strongly in the air, bringing back an onslaught of memories I didn't feel like reliving.

I shook my head and sat down on the bed, exhausted from the day's events. I finally discovered how to use and control the power I had always felt residing in my very core. No longer was I the little misfit Vampire; now I had potential, a purpose driving me forward.

If only Amber were here to share this moment with me.

_No._ I growled inside my head. This was her choice. If that was what she wanted, then that is what she can have. I won't pout over her anymore. She obviously wasn't worth my tears or my thoughts. She wasn't worth it.

With a sigh I laid my head on my pillow and swallowed my pride. Who was I kidding? Amber was everything to me. Without her, I felt like a hollow part of me. I wasn't complete without Amber, despite the fact that Jason and I were one now. The bed was cold in the spot where Amber was supposed to be. It was silent here in my room, but the silence was too loud in my ears. I missed the laughter of the sweetest melody and the feel of satin skin pressed against me. I missed the scent of her hair fresh on the pillow. I missed the girl I fell in love with.

Between the sobs coming from my chest, I somehow drifted off into slumber.

* * *

Amber pressed her forehead against the cool glass, attempting the catch her breath. She felt sick to her stomach, and she fought to keep the remnants of her dinner down where it belonged. It was difficult to breathe when she couldn't seem to find her lungs, and all that came out were short, ragged gasps. Her heart was beating hard and fast enough for her to hear it. She had a fierce headache from the pounding in her temples that felt like someone bashed her head in. She was falling apart at the seams, a fate she wished would come sooner.

She did the unthinkable. She's done it twice now, actually. She left him. She left him after he begged her to stay. After all the things he's done for her, protected her, revived her, took care of her, she left him without an explanation.

She clutched her chest, the realization hitting her again like a bulldozer. What was she going to do? It was for the best. Her self-preservation was stronger than what she felt. Her instincts as a witch were kicking in. She was one of the last of her kind, she had to live, and she had to survive. She had to reproduce to keep the chain going. He wasn't a part of this plan. Claire promised her it would be all right. She trusted her. She had no choice in the matter if she was being honest with herself.

* * *

Sunlight peered through the window, casting shadows of disfigured beings across the room. Odd shapes danced across the wall as the sun rose higher and higher, moving in different spots and the time passed. Pretty soon my room was bright with the golden light, and I finally dragged myself from my bed and into the bathroom. I needed something to do, something to fill up my day to replace the emptiness I felt inside me.

Getting clean made me feel better, fresh and ready to go, what I was ready for, I wasn't sure, but I felt more prepared. My body felt renewed, but this moment of clean would only last for a little while until the feeling of being alone snuck up on me and tackled me from behind, choking me until I couldn't breathe.

I dressed myself slowly, the numbness starting the creep up on me. The previous day's events finally sunk in, reminding me that I'm waking up alone and that the girl I loved was somewhere out there without me. I pictured her happy, wherever she was. I pictured her as someone who got what she wanted and was satisfied with her life. Nothing was wrong to her in that picture. It only felt wrong to me as I saw it.

My sudden control of power didn't even seem to comfort me much anymore. So we found our edge, but what the hell were we going to do with it? How do we fight Cody, Claire, the Volturi, and-I forced the last word-Amber? Did we have to kill them? Was there a way to bring Claire to our side? Did Amber have to perish because of her choice? How could we beat such a powerful foe? Were Jason and I just kidding ourselves by thinking we may have a chance to beat them? And what if we lost? Would we die? Probably.

The house was still silent as I sat back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I memorized every line, every crack, and every curve of the design. I could probably draw a picture of it to perfection.

"Having fun?"

"Oodles" was my reply.

Jason pulled his lips up into a small smile. I saw my reflection in his face. Our face structure was completely the same-big, round eyes; thick, black eyelashes; high cheekbones; oval face; crooked nose; curly, blond hair; dark circles under the eyes-we were practically the same person. Our only difference was our eye color. But now I knew that our similarities went deeper than just looks. It was to our very core.

He sprawled out on the bed next to me, putting his hands behind his head. His legs went right to the edge like mine, even with the extra long bed we bought a few years back. We probably looked like brothers lying down together like this, in harmony and peace. No one would guess that we were really father and son.

"How are you doing?" Jason asked, breaking the comfortable silence. A few weeks ago I probably would've had a smart remark to answer his question. I probably would've said something that I would later regret. But for once, I didn't feel like being smart with him. Being in Jason's head made me realize how strongly Jason really felt about me as a father. I knew he actually cared about my well being and only asked because he was worried about me.

Was there any point in trying to cover it up? Would lying about the pain I felt somehow make him feel better? Or would unloading my sorrow help him forget his own? The last thing I wanted was to make Jason feel worse about losing Claire again.

"I'm…okay." I managed to say. Basically I wasn't great, but I wasn't doing too bad either.

"Really?" he raised his eyebrows. "Because losing Claire again has been driving me crazy. I think I'm going out of my mind. So, would you like to rephrase your answer?"

I smiled at his casual choice of words. "It stings. I don't really know what to do without her." I sighed, feeling the cold stab of defeat. I finally let my wall down that I held up for so many years, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. "It freaking sucks, dad. I hate the thought of losing her to Cody."

"I know. Having Claire choose him breaks my heart. It sucks worse to know that I drove her to him."

"Never know how good you have it until it's gone."

Jason shook his head. "No, I think we knew what we had. I just don't think we ever thought we'd lose it."

He was right. When I finally had Amber back, I never once dreamed that I would lose her again. I never thought that I would wake up one morning without her by my side. It never crossed my mind that she might not be here with me one day. How could I have lost her just like that?

"So what do we do now?" I wondered aloud. I mean, we had the ability to fight Cody, but what do we do about Amber and Claire? Kill them? I shuddered at the thought.

Jason must have been on the same train of thought as I was because he closed his eyes and shivered. "We fight with our family. Claire made her choice. Maybe we can still save Amber." He sounded stronger, more resolute, as he finished his sentence. It seems like Jason had made some choice. It took a minute for the words to click.

We were going to kill Claire.

"And when is this whole thing supposed to go down? Whenever the feel like fighting us?" we were at their mercy. They could start the fight whenever they wanted to while we sat, waiting patiently to possibly die at their hands. Was that how we were supposed to go down? Was it always supposed to be up to them?

Jason shrugged and yanked his hand through his curly hair. "What else is there? It's not like we can charge them. We don't even know where they're at."

He was right. How can we attack an enemy that we have no idea where they are? Put out flyers? Hey, let's fight? Flag-pole, 3 o'clock? I highly doubt that would work. And if it even did, I really didn't want to throw it all out there like that. It just wasn't a good idea. Where the hell were they anyway?

"I can almost hear the gears in your head turning. Be careful. You wouldn't want that pretty head of yours to explode, would you?" her voice said coolly, sending spears of ice down my spine. She sounded so much different than when I had first met her, so much colder, harder, like she was made of stone. She sent the hairs on the back of my neck standing straight up. I instinctively tensed for anything that she might start.

Her trilling laugh pierced my ears. "Look at both of you. You act more and more alike every day. How _cute._" But I bet she didn't find anything cute about it.

She stood there, leaning against the wall. Her blonde hair fell around her shoulders, casting golden light around her face. Her hair almost glowed like a halo. If didn't know, I'd say she was an angel here to save us. Her crimson eyes glowed, revealing that she's fed recently, and some poor human paid the price for it. A fierce smile took the place of gentle grin I knew her to wear before. She looked powerful, independent, and completely unafraid of whatever threat we could pose to her. Even what she was wearing displayed her confidence. Tight, dark jeans. Revealing, low cut shirt that might as well been painted onto her skin. High-heeled boots that looked like some sort of medieval torture device. She didn't dress like she was expecting a fight. She dressed like if she had to fight, she could still do it in designer clothes and kick our butts.

"Claire." Jason spat, narrowing his eyes at her. His hands constricted into tight fists, fists that could kill on urge. Fists that now I knew had the power to inflict real destruction.

Claire had real guts to come here now, confronting the both of us after we found this link. I wondered why she would even chance it, even if she thought we could never hurt her, but then it hit me: she probably didn't know that we found our advantage.

I had to keep myself from smiling. If Claire was unaware, then so was Cody. If they had no idea what we were capable of, we had a better chance of beating them. If we could just keep it a secret a little bit longer, we could do this. We could actually beat the two strongest Vampires on the planet.

I wondered if we qualified under that domain now.

"Awh, don't be petty. So I chose the better man. Get over it, babe. If you were in my position, you would've done the same." She smiled coyly.

"I would never have left my family. I wouldn't even think of betraying them like you did." His words cracked like a whip: harsh and strong. His voice shifted from scared and worried, to powerful and in-control. He wasn't the scared little human boy anymore. He was Jason. He was a Pryor-Wolf. He was the most indestructible being known. And I was his twin. I was just as strong as he was. We were unstoppable together.

"I betrayed no family of mine. You may not understand now, but I'm protecting them. I'm going to save them." Her voice dropped lower, her eyes grew serious as they burned into mine. Something inside me shifted as she stared at me. Something tugged at the very core of m heart, something trying to get me to listen to what it had to say, but I heard no words.

Jason interrupted my train of thought. "Save your family huh? So where does that leave us?" it was a loaded question.

Claire glided over to Jason as gracefully as if her feet weren't actually touching the floor. She pulled him up to her and put her arms around his neck. His breath caught as he stared at her. She pressed her lips softly against his, and his body reacted accordingly. His hands grasped her face, holding her to him. Suddenly, she shoved him away from her, sending him flying until he hit the wall opposite of her.

"Like comparing a boy to a man. At least Cody knows what to do when I kiss him. He has a…big reaction, per se." she beamed knowingly. "You on the other hand-"

Jason lunged for her. He grabbed her around the waist before she had time to react, and the momentum between them sent them barreling through the door. Snarls and growls boomed through the house as I followed them out into the hallway. He shoved her against the wall, her head making a dent in the wall that would've killed a human. Claire kneed his gut and threw him over her shoulder like he was a doll. With a grunt, Jason was thrown into the stair railing where he tumbled down the stairs. Shouts of alarm followed from my family who was waiting down stairs.

"Does pretty boy want to fight? You're not doing a very good job so far." She teased, baiting Jason.

"Why don't you shut your whore mouth and finish what you started?" Jason retorted. He crouched at the bottom of the steps and motioned with his finger for her to bring it on.

Her chest rumbled with a growl. "With pleasure."

She coiled her body together like a cat, and then pounced on her target. Her claw-like hands reached for his face, but he saw it coming. He held onto her wrists and used her force against her by flipping her over his head and slamming her into the ground. He then pressed his knee into her side, holding her squirming body down. He grabbed a fistful of her blonde hair, pulled her head up, and then threw it back onto the floor. She cried out in pain. But Jason wasn't done apparently. He hit her twice after that. Then he got up and spit on her.

Claire staggered to her feet, wiping the spit from her face. She looked at Jason with surprise and shock. She opened her mouth to say something, but then shut it quickly. She looked around at everyone in the room, her eyes staying on mine for a few seconds longer. Then she shook her hurt look and replaced the frown with a vicious smile.

"Well it's been interesting knowing all of you." She turned to me. "You can join us, you know. Come with me." Her smile was warm and inviting this time. She held out her hand.

I shook my head.

"Amber misses you. She wants you to come home."

The mention of Amber made me step forward to her.

"That's it, dear. Come with me. I've missed you too."

Her offer was tempting. I didn't realize how much I was willing to give up just to see Amber, to be with her again. Being with her was what I wanted more than anything. But was I willing to leave my family to join the side of Cody? The side that ruined everything to begin with? Was I willing to help Cody? Was I willing to kill everyone I loved for the woman I loved?

"Jon?" Jason asked tentatively.

I was at a cross-road.


	33. Chapter 32: Ambushed

32. Ambushed

The last time I was faced with a possible life-changing choice to me was when I couldn't decide between which girl I wanted to sleep with. One was long-legged, blonde hair, easy smile, and had freckles dotting her skin, suggesting she wasn't naturally a blonde. The other was short, dark hair, fair skin. They were both beautiful in their own ways, but which one was the one I wanted?

This was the last serious choice I had. You can see how pathetic it is compared to this current situation right?

Time seemed to slow as I glanced between Claire and my family. Back and forth until I started to get dizzy. I had no idea what I should choose. Claire gave me what I yearned for: Amber, my love, my Amber. She was handing me a life with her, a future with the girl I loved. Just thinking about being with her made me just want to forget about Jason and leave with Claire.

But I couldn't forget about Jason. Had this been a few weeks ago, I wouldn't be thinking twice. I would've left Jason and them in a heartbeat. I would be in Amber's arms right now. But this _wasn't _a few weeks ago. This was now. Jason and I were closer than ever. I hadn't fought with my family in what had been forever. I felt like a leader here. I belonged here now. No longer did I feel like the kid who didn't belong. This was my home. This was my life.

So how in the hell was I going to choose?

I thought back to Jason. What would he do if he were in my shoes? Would he go with his heart or his guts? What would drive him forward? Love for a girl or love for a family? If I went with Claire, I would be turning my back on the people who stayed by my side through everything. But if I stayed here, would I be leaving Amber alone with Cody? Did she need me? Was she hurt?

My mind spun with every scenario I could picture in my head. Me leaving. Me staying. What would be better for everyone? What was best for Amber? What was best for me? If I left, I might as well dug out Jason's grave for him. His death was certain, and so was everyone else's. But if I stayed here, would Amber end up dead? I don't think I could survive without her actually in this world.

"Amber says she misses you." Claire said enticingly, breaking the silence. "She actually sent me here for you, Jonathan. She wants you to come."

Amber wanted me to come. She wanted to be with me. Maybe she only left to save me. Maybe she knew that my family was going to end up dead and she wanted to make sure that I wouldn't with them. But could I leave my family for her? Could I leave them to their deaths? Was I really that selfish? Was Amber?

"_I_ want you to come." She added softly, her red eyes suddenly soft and warm. She looked tender and hurt, like my hesitation in joining her caused her pain.

"Why are you doing this?" Jason snapped at her. "You leave me, and now you want to take my son from me too? Who's next? Angel?" he waved an arm towards Angel. "Maybe Skylar too? Is that what this is? Seeing how much you can take from me before I finally crack?"

"That's not all it is. It's just a pleasant bonus." Her smile was lethal, her dazzling row of teeth looking like a mix between daggers and shark teeth.

Jason made a move towards her, but Skylar grabbed his arm before he could take a step.

She cackled. "Got a bodyguard now to keep you from getting in trouble? Keep the little boy from fighting?"

"Unless you've forgotten, I'm the one who just won." Jason reminded her, his voice low and threatening.

"That wasn't anywhere near my normal fighting. If it was real, you'd been dead before you could even blink." Power rolled off of her in waves, energy pulsing from every part of her, especially her words. As each word hit my ears, I felt engulfed in her power, which I now realized was incredible. I was an ant compared to her. How was I ever going to be able to defeat her?

Jason had nothing left to say. He must've felt it too, her power. He stared at her, silent and…pissed. His nostrils were flared, his stance tense, his eyes glowering over Claire's smug posture. But then he spoke, his timbre matching her's, but it seemed scarier coming from his dark face.

"Just wait, Claire. You have no idea what you're coming up against." He was in her face in a flash. She flinched. "So go run back to Cody. Go back to him because you're not welcome here. Not anymore. Don't think that I won't hesitate when it comes to ripping your pretty little head from your shoulders. Remember that I hate you when I'm killing you."

Claire's face was priceless. She took a small step away from him, shock and surprise etched permanently on her face. She glanced fleetingly at everyone before resting her eyes on me once more.

"Well, Jonathan? Will you come?"

And for once, I wasn't going to hesitate before I answered. "Nope. I think I'll stay right here with my _family_."

She screamed. "Fine! Die here with the rest of them!" And with a quiet breeze, she vanished. We stood there silently after she left. No one moved until all the dust had settled once again on the wood panels.

I laughed. "Well if Nick dies, can I have his sweater vests?" I was attempting to lighten whatever darkness had fallen on us in the past few moments. I was clinging to hope that they would catch the joke and that I didn't just make matters worse.

"Pull-overs." Nick said distinctly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Say it with me: _pull-overs._"

Quiet laughter flowed through the room, gradually growing into snorts and cackles and jokes being thrown in every direction. And just like that, the doom and gloom had drifted away, leaving the feeling of wholeness within a family. Yes, we were indeed a family. And maybe now I understood how tightly knit we really were. We were a family. We would live together, or we would die together. But as I looked at each of their faces-Jason, Skylar, Taylor, Angel, Nick, Syd, Ben, and Cody-I wondered who would live and who might survive when we actually fought them.

Would I even live?

Would…Amber?

A sharp lance of pain shot through my chest. Though she chose to be with, she wouldn't be in this mess without me coming into her life. Even if she is a Witch, maybe she could've lived a normal life and not have noticed the symptoms of it. And now that I had thought of it, I couldn't keep the pictures of Amber, dead, out of my head.

Amber, her neck bent at an unnatural angle. Amber, pale and lifeless as the blood was drained out of her. Amber, stabbed in the stomach and bleeding out on the grass. Countless images blurred through my head at that moment, each one causing me more pain than the next. Each one more gruesome and gut-wrenching.

I rolled my shoulders, trying to literally shake off those pictures that seemed to be seared permanently into my brain. I smiled at their banters and pretended that I was listening. I almost fooled all of them into thinking that I was fine. I even fooled Syd. The only one I couldn't fool, the one who was more in tuned to me now than ever, was Jason. He read my face like a book and nodded at me when I glanced in his direction. He understood my pain. He knew what I was going through. We were there to support each other. We could help each other. Maybe that's why we were made so much alike and yet so different. So we could complement each other. So we could complete each other.

Jason looked at me and then at the door, indicating for me to follow him out to the front yard. When I followed him, I found him sitting on the concrete steps. He was staring up at the blue sky, something so pretty and simple that it seemed strange to see it after what we just saw. He balled his hands into a fist and rested his chin on them.

"Sit." He told me. I obeyed.

* * *

Claire screamed as she entered the cave. She punched the wall, her violence slowly rising above normal. Cody noticed this as he watched her stomp over to him. She was shifting into something much more sinister than anyone could handle. He had to end this soon. She threw a chair into the stone. _Very_ soon.

"He refused!" she cried, her shrill voice resounding off the walls. "That little prick refused me! _Me!_" Claire continued ranting, pacing around the place. "Of all the nerve! How dare him!"

Cody, soothingly, said "You didn't actually think that he would join us did you? The boy is stubborn, as is Jason."

Her breathing came down a notch. "No. I guess not."

"Much better." He placed his hands on her hips and kissed her forehead. "I hate to see you so upset."

"Me too. I'm ready for this to be over." She sounded fierce, more like the Claire he used to know.

"What are you implying, love?"

She smiled. "Let's end it tonight. They'll never see it coming. We can rid the world of them now." She glanced at Amber, who had been silent since the moment she came. "And I know just how to do it."

Cody and Amber shivered at Claire's cold tone.

* * *

Jason waited a few seconds before he spoke up about what he thought was bothering me.

"You're still worried." Not a question.

Of course I was worried. I was closer to my family than ever, more in tuned to them and prepared to fight for them. How in the world could I lose them already? I wasn't prepared for them to die. Hell, I wasn't prepared for _me_ to die. I can't lose them. But how could we possibly win?

"Jonathan, fear and worry are good. Without them, you go into something thinking that it's easy, and then you lose. Those feelings help prepare you. But worrying too much over it can also be your downfall. What happens will happen. You just have to go with it."

"You sound like a fortune cookie."

Jason chuckled. "I do, don't I? You'll have to bear with me then: I'm getting old." He smiled wider as he elbowed my in the ribs, lightly, teasing me. "What I'm saying is that you shouldn't worry about us. Everyone can take care of themselves. They've traveled with Claire for hundreds of years, excluding Syd, and they know how she fights. Yes, she knows how they fight as well, but we're hoping it could be an advantage. We're powerful, Jonathan. _You're_ powerful. We can do this. Don't count us out just yet."

I understood what he meant. We were strong. We had the ability to fight. And we could probably hold our own for a while, even against Claire and the Volturi. But how long could we in the long run? How long would it take for them to break our defenses? To kill one of us off? And even if we managed to break them down, what would stop Cody from killing Amber? Would that be counted as a victory to him if he destroyed me from killing her?

"And what about Amber?"

He sighed heavily. "I'm not sure. I wish I could tell you that we could get her back, but we can't. Everyone knows they're not to touch her when we do fight. They won't hurt her if they can help it. But if she becomes a threat to us, Jon…"

"Kill her." I said unwillingly, stung by the thought of anyone hurting her. Then I had a thought. "If we have to…kill Amber, let me do it."

"Jon-"

I held up my hand. "I'm serious. The pain will be unbearable either way. But I don't want to end up hating and blaming someone for killing her. If I do it myself, I'll have no one to blame but myself. Just let me be the one to do it."

Jason nodded, clearly not liking this idea anymore than I did. "Sure. I'll let them know." He stood up and shook the dust from his pants. "Just don't count us out yet. We still have a few tricks up our sleeves." And then he was gone, inside the house telling the rest of our family what I wanted.

Remaining outside, I took turns between staring at the swirling clouds and the tiny ants collecting clusters of dirt and rock for their home. The ants had it easy. They knew what they had to do. They had no wants, only needs. The need for survival took over every other sense they had. The ants just wanted to live on. All they had to do to live was make a good home, collect a sufficient amount of food, and then reproduce. But I wondered if they had their issues too? Did certain ants do whatever they could to gain power? Did they fight each other over a single female ant? Did they want more than just to be another ant in a colony? Were they like humans, just smaller and unnoticed?

Before long the sun had set over the horizon, and the silver moon rose above the trees. No one had bothered me while I was out here and for that I was glad. No one needed to see me sulk, or contemplate over tiny ants.

"Jonathan." A sweet voice whispered in the breeze.

I stood up immediately, recognizing that simple yet complex sound.

"Amber." I breathed.

She stood at the edge of the yard, just a mere 15 feet away from me. She was dressed in dark skinny jeans and an old Kenton Ridge hoodie. Her hair, which was now to her shoulders, moved slightly with the wind. Her face held no emotion. She was calm, collected. She was breathtakingly beautiful, even in her simple attire.

I took a step forward. "Amber, what are you doing here?" I managed another step towards her, wanting to hold her in my arms.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jonathan."

"For what? Amber, nothing in the past mattered. You're home now. Come with me. I'll keep you safe. Cody will never touch you."

"I'm sorry." She repeated. She suddenly looked sad.

"Why do you keep saying-" something hit me in the back of my head, sending me to my knees and then my face into the ground. The pain was instant and severe. Stars danced in my eyes.

Two things passed through my mind before I lost consciousness: first, Amber betrayed me. Second, my family, unsuspecting, wouldn't know what hit them.

Then I was consumed by the dark.


	34. Chapter 33: Trust

33. Trust

It was a scream that brought me to my senses.

My eyes opened instantly in reaction to the shriek, but it took a few moments for my foggy vision to finally clear, and then a few more to grasp my surroundings.

I was in some part of a forest, that much I could tell, but the trees were coming from the top of my vision to the bottom. It was confusing until I figured out that I was hanging upside down. In a tree. I squirmed my legs to get them loose from whatever I was trapped in, but I guess I didn't think far enough ahead to see that when I actually did get loose, I was going to fall flat on my head. And fall I did.

"Damn." I spat, rubbing my head as I slowly raised myself to my feet. I glanced around, but I couldn't recognize anything around me. I had no idea where I was. Trees, think, wispy trees, stretched out for what I was sure was miles ahead of me in each direction. Random oaks popped up within the miniature trees, but there were just those tiny trees. The grass looked like it was dead, or dying. It was brittle under my feet and made a _crunch _with every movement I made. A smell of rotting wood was thick and pungent here, but that was it. There was no scent of animals, no trace of any other plants, no hint that anything else lived here besides these trees. And it was silent. Dead silent. The sound I made with shifting my weight seemed to be amplified with how silent it was here. There were no birds chirping, no snakes slithering through the grass, no rabbits dashing to their holes. _Nothing_.

Where the hell was I?

I was afraid, deathly afraid, to move. Where would I go? Who was watching me? I was sure that Cody was watching me from somewhere. He had to have been the one to kidnap me. Did he take my family? Where was everyone else? Were they dead? Was I the only one left? My blood ran cold as I thought of being the only survivor.

I kept spinning around, hoping to catch a glimpse of something familiar, something that would tell me that everything was okay. But I was far too old to truly believe that I would. I was alone here. They dropped me off in some forest and left me alone to die. I would wither away until I was nothing. Then maybe they would kill me. Or I'd go mad with thirst. Whichever would please them more.

Part of me wanted to crawl up next to a giant oak, rest my head on some soft leaves, and try to forget I was here. Part of me just wanted to give up and give in. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want this. I was alone and afraid. Oh, so afraid. I couldn't remember a time when I saw so fearful of everything, when I was so weak that I just crumbled under the stress of everything else.

A scream, the same scream that woke me up. A deep chill ran down my spine as I was able to place whose scream that was.

Amber.

There was no thought to my action, no rational part in my head to tell my limbs that this might be a trap. All thought was erased. All that was left inside me was my instincts, and my instincts warned me of danger and pushed me to protect the girl I loved. So I ran. I sprinted in the direction that the scream resonated, my feet leaping over fallen branches and shoving any tree down that got in my way. My body seemed to know more of what to do that I did. I just reacted. I didn't think. I felt.

A dim light became apparent through the thinning branches. As I pushed myself further, I saw that the light led to a small clearing, one that was so circular that it had to have been made by man.

I cautiously slowed down outside of the clearing, hiding behind a small shrub, silently watching. Nothing moved. Nothing made a sound. My senses peaked, telling me that nothing was there. But I had a gut feeling that my senses were wrong this time. _Something_ was out there waiting for me. I ignored the signals blaring in my mind and got out of my crouching position.

Never in my life had I experienced a more helpless feeling than when I took my first step into that clearing. I might as well painted a target on my chest, waved my arms, and told Cody that I was here and ready to die. I had no chance of living. My only hope of survive was Jason, but he wasn't here. I was all alone. I would die alone. I shivered, but it wasn't cold.

Nothing happened.

"Hello?" hearing my voice sent a shock through my body because it seemed so loud to me here in the silence.

No response.

I turned, about to head back to anything else but this, when I heard my name.

"Jonathan?"

Claire was at the opposite side of the clearing, her hands raised as if to show me she held no weapon. She looked hesitant, worried.

I scowled at her. "You."

"Jonathan, I know that this is overwhelming, but you need to-"

"Need to what? What could you possibly need me to do? Crawl over and die for you so you don't have to kill me? Take my own life so you don't have to trouble yourself with the job? What else do you want from me?"

She looked down at her hands. I thought I heard the sound of a sob catch in her throat. Her voice was softer this time. "I know that you can't possibly understand what's going on, but I need you to listen to me for a moment."

I laughed harshly at her. "And why should I listen to you? All you've done is hurt us. You said that you want us to die. You said that you're done with us. You've made your point very clear. What's left to tell me?" I threw my hands in the air, disgusted that I was even listening to this. "You know what, I'm done here. Goodbye." I turned my back to her and walked away.

"Don't forget."

I froze mid-step. Why was that so familiar to me? Why did my body ache when I heard that?

I brushed off her comment and continued walking.

"Don't forget, Jon."

This time I faced her. "What?" I asked incredulously.

"Remember me, Jonathan. Remember _me_." She seemed to be pleading with me.

And suddenly, I did remember. I remembered everything she said to me in my forgotten dreams. I remembered how we first met in a tiny little clearing like this one. I remembered her sweet gaze and tender touch. I remembered all the love I felt when she called me her son. I remembered the depth in which I saw her, the light straining against the darkness. I remembered her warm, brown eyes that came from drinking animal blood. I remembered the elated feeling of knowing she was alive. I remembered that Claire was good. I remembered the person Claire was in that clearing was who she really is.

Then set in the confusion.

So if she was really the loving person I knew her to be, then why was she doing all of this? Why did she want to kill us? Why did she say all of those menacing things to Jason?

I was struggling to find the words to express what I was thinking, was feeling, but all I got out was "I-I don't understand."

She smiled tenderly at me. She came to my side and took my hand. "I know you don't, baby, and you're not going to. I just need you to trust me on this. Everything is so bent out of shape around here that nothing is going right. But I'm going to fix it once and for all, okay? I know what I'm doing. Remember that I love you, I always have loved you, and I always will love you. You're my son, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. You've been so strong. I just need you to hold on for a little bit longer. For me."

I swallowed, letting the information sink in. she was going to make things right? She was going to fix something? Fix what? What was she going to do?

"But Cody. Jason. Everyone else. You said we were going to die-"

"Hush. Don't worry about what I said before. I'm going to say those things again. But I need you to ignore what I say. It's all a lie. Nothing I say out of this dream is real."

"A dream?" I mumbled. This was all a dream. This explained the silence, the loss of scents, the feelings of being alone. I was alone here. This was my mind. And Claire was in it. Somehow. Just like before. "This is just a dream."

She nodded. "A dream, Jon. It's the only place where I'm not watched constantly. You needed to know this."

"But I still don't understand what's going on." And I didn't. Whatever Claire was saying was a jumbled mess in my head. I couldn't put together everything I needed to. I was missing key elements to this conversation. I lacked the knowledge to put all of this together. I was clueless. "Please, tell me."

"There's not enough time for that, I'm afraid. I can explain everything later. But if things don't…pan out the way I need them to, tell Jason that I love him."

I stared blankly at her. "And when do I know that things have gone wrong?"

She smiled sadly at me. "You'll know."

"Claire I don't understand. What are you trying to fix?"

"Everything that I've made a mockery of." Her voice made it clear that she wasn't going to elaborate any further.

"You don't have to do it alone. I can help."

She laughed softly. "You sound just like your father. You're more like him every single day, you know. He was always first in line to help me with whatever I needed." She trailed off at the memory, but shook her head a she brought herself back to the present. "This is something I have to do on my own. I'm sorry. You can't help me in the way you'd like."

"So how else can I help you?" I was desperate to know her plan, to be a part of what she was doing. I wanted to help her. I wanted to be a part of her doings. I wanted to be needed.

"You _are_ helping me. Just by being alive. Everything will be okay, Jonathan. Soon it all will be back to normal. Trust me."

"I do trust you, Claire, I do." I wrapped my hands around her small shoulders, realizing for the first time how _small_ Claire really was compared to me. I was sure that Amber was taller than and not quite as petite as her. "I just don't get what the hell is going on. I don't know what you're trying to tell me."

She shook her head patiently. "Neither do I, Jonathan. I just had to warn you."

"Warn me of what!? You haven't told me a damn thing!" I shouted, my frustrations finally getting the better of me.

"Warn you that it's all a lie. Warn you that I'm doing all of this to save you. Don't count me out, Jonathan. You can hate me as long as you'd like after you know the truth of everything, but I couldn't live with myself knowing that my two reasons for existence are dead. I couldn't do it. I'm doing this for both of you. Please, understand that. Jason won't get it at first. But I just need-" her words cut off as she held back a sob "I just need you, my son, to know that I'm helping you. I never wanted to hurt you two like this. I'm so sorry. Just believe me when I say I'm helping you."

And I did believe her. I believed every word she said to me. Of course she was trying to help me. She loved me. She loved Jason, too. She was saving us. Everything was going to be okay.

"I have to go now. I've been here too long. Please understand that I love you." Her voice was already fading.

"Claire! Mom! Don't go yet!" I reached for her, but she was gone. Almost like she never was there to begin with.

Everything around me faded too. The trees lost their color, the air lost its scent, and the silence slowly became noise. I felt my head spinning. There was a sharp pain at the base of my neck. I suddenly had a terrible headache.

I moaned.

"Jonathan." Someone breathed in relief.

I opened my eyes.

"Finally." Jason lifted my shoulders up so I was now in a sitting position. "I was getting worried."

"What happened? Where are we?" I looked around, the surroundings of thin trees and dead grass looking painfully familiar. It was silent except for my labored breathing. Everyone was there, my entire family. They all were safe. We were together. I wasn't alone here.

"We're not sure where we are or how we got here." Skylar said, sounding somewhat annoyed. "All we know is that Cody snuck up on us-"

"-With Claire," Jason added with a low growl and a snarl.

"-And brought us all here. You're the last one to wake up, kid." Skylar finished, looking down at me with a peculiar expression.

"What?" I finally asked when his stare began to creep me out.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, you were mumbling something in your sleep. We couldn't tell what you were saying, but it sounded like you were arguing with someone. What were you dreaming about?"

I blinked at him, unable to figure out what he was talking about. "Dreaming about?" I racked my brain for any thoughts or clues to what I had dreamed about. Of course, this wasn't a new thing for me. I always forgot my dreams. What's one more to add to that pile? I shrugged my shoulders in response. "No idea."

But I had an eerie feeling that that dream was the answer to who lives and who doesn't.


	35. Chapter 34: Rally

34. Rally

The bright, yellow orb rose above the horizon, illuminating all the things around us. Dead grass, thin trees, and random oaks: that was all that was around us. Nothing else. No animals. No flowers. Just an endless array of trees. Though it was wide open, I had the strange feeling of claustrophobia.

And all of this around me managed to creep into my mind, like I was supposed to understand something. Like I had been here before when I was younger, but I couldn't place why or how. It disoriented me.

"Well what now?" Taylor asked, flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder. "Do we just walk around and wait for them to pick us off, or shall we wait here for them to come to us?" she was flustered and scared, like the rest of us, but seeing Taylor worried unnerved me more than anyone. She was always tough, fearless, and ready for action. Seeing here so…vulnerable was so abnormal. This is what Cody did to us.

Nick, who was obviously just as upset as she was, slammed his fist into a tree. Nick, the one who always kept his emotions in check, the one who was the last one the react, the one who always kept his cool, was the one who was turning violent. This is what Cody did to us. "What other options do we have? We're at their mercy here!"

"Unless Angel could get us out of here?" Ben asked hopefully. He was the only one who still seemed to be himself-quiet, shy, and always optimistic. Cody hasn't stolen him away from us. Yet.

She shook her head, appearing like she was about to cry, if she was able to. "I can't do anything. He's tampered with my powers." It wasn't enough to bring us here, but he had to steal our only ways to defend ourselves. Fantastic.

"Anyone else feeling different? Loss of gifts?" Jason finally spoke up, his tone matching the leader he was supposed to be in this type of situation.

Skylar made a move to punch Taylor, but his fist stopped suddenly as if an invisible bubble surrounded her. He grimaced and rubbed his knuckles.

"I'm good." Taylor said cheerfully and gave Skylar a quick kiss.

"I can still read everyone's minds." Syd whispered. She seemed more affected than anyone here. I had a feeling that this place did something to her. Maybe she could hear more than just our thoughts. Maybe this whole environment had an insidious vibe to it that she could sense more vibrantly than any of us. I suddenly felt a strong sense of remorse for her pain.

Syd glanced at me and smiled sadly.

Skylar vanished and then reappeared suddenly by my side, but I was too numb to jump. I just raised an eyebrow and attempted a small smile.

"Guess that just leaves you and me, Jonathan."

Jason was right, but we didn't have to test our gifts to prove that it was still there. I could just sense how close we were, like we were still one person. I was always aware of his feelings, his thoughts, and his movements. Jason and I were forever connected in a way that no one understood. We would be the same until one of us died, which actually might happen soon.

"We good?" I asked, hoping he felt the connection as strongly as I did and that I was not simply imagining all these things.

"Yes." Jason took a deep breath and looked at everyone. "Okay, so we're all trapped in this little forest. This is all part of Cody's elaborate game. We can assume that he-along with Claire- has brought us here to kill us. I don't know about you guys, but I wanna live pretty damn badly. So how do we do this?"

"We fight." Taylor commented first with a _duh_ tone.

Agreed murmurs floated around us.

"Okay then. Fight it is." Jason concluded.

"How? We're pretty much on their terms. They'll start the fight when it's ready. Even if we walked around looking for a fight, they won't show up until they're ready to." Angel, not liking the fact that she had no power here, had a strange twinge of attitude in her voice and crossed her arms. Nick put his arm around her.

"We'll just have to be ready at all times. Not let our guards down. It's not like we sleep." Skylar said lightly, probably hoping to ease some of the rigid tension around us. It was so thick I could probably cut through it with a knife. A few of us laughed, but it didn't really help. We were facing an impossible situation here. It's hard to laugh at your impending death.

"Stop." Jason snapped suddenly. "Look at all of you! You're acting like we've already lost the fight! If you think like that, then yes, we will die here. But if you actually would like to live to see another day, then don't hang your heads! We have to fight back! I'm tired of Cody pushing us around. I don't want him walking around on this Earth anymore. He needs to die! So let's fight for our freaking lives!" everyone nodded their heads, beginning to smile. "We can actually do this if we really try. We're gifted, and we have something to fight for. Let's kick their ass!"

Rolling my eyes at his attempted at a speech that was meant to fuel our passion, I set my hand on his shoulder. "What my dad is _trying_ to say is that so what if we lose? So what if they win? We'll take out as many of them as possible. We're far from weak, no matter what Cody or Claire tells us. We have our resources, our talents, our gifts, and we have each other. We actually have something worth risking our lives for. Why waste what we have because we're afraid of a Vampire? I don't want to die afraid. I've been afraid of Cody much too long. I'm done. And you should be too." They all nodded in agreement, but I saw the same thing in each of their eyes. There was something holding them back, and I knew what it was.

I sighed heavily. "Look, there's no way I could ever know what every single one have you have been through with Claire. I barely even knew her except for the stories everyone told me. I didn't really get the chance to know her either while she was here. But I…understand. I _get_ how charming she can be, how she can worm her way into your heart without you even knowing it, and then it's too late for you to do anything about it once you realize it. And I only knew her for a few weeks! Too know her for a lifetime?" I shook my head, trying to picture the unimaginable grief all of them must have been feeling over Claire's betrayal. "I just couldn't fathom what it must be like for any of you. Especially Jason now that I've seen what it's like to love her the way he does.

"But I have two people out there that I love as well. One is my mother, and the other is the girl I've given my soul to. Both of them mean the world to me, and to have Amber choose Cody over me?" I shuddered. "It cut me deeper than I thought it ever could. To have my own mom leave me and condemn me to death? It's a cruel, harsh world we live in right now." I pictured both of them leaving me, both of them trying to kill me. I shook my head. "I guess what I'm getting at is that we all have someone out there that we care about. But _we can't_ let them get the better of us. Claire and Amber made their choice. Now we have to make ours. It's going to hurt, I know that, but they will try to use our love for them against us. We can't let it be our weakness. If we do, we'll die."

I had to let go of my hesitation too. Maybe it was possible to save Amber, but I couldn't force that outcome. If I did, I might ruin any chance my family has at survival. Should a chance come to save her, you can bet every sweet penny that I would jump at that opportunity. But until then…I-I had to let her go. I had to let Amber and Claire leave my mind. They weren't worth my suffering. I had bigger problems to worry about, like surviving the next couple of hours.

We took turns watching each other's backs, but no one dared to drop their guard anyone, so the watch cycles turned out to be pointless. All of us were on the edge. Our voices were silenced. Our actions were minute. No one breathed. Had someone just waltzed on by, they would have thought us to be statues. We just sat still, silent and ever watchful, waiting for some sign that the fight was about to begin.

Would it ever start? Was that their plan? To get us so worked up, have us sit out here until fear twisted our minds? Wait until our sanity was so frayed, and then signal the attack? I didn't think they would have the patience for that, but I also didn't know how long it would take before the fear consumed our bodies.

"What's invisible and tastes like a carrot?" Nick asked out of nowhere, the silence so deep that he made us all jump out of our own skin.

Looking like she wanted to wring his neck for scaring her, Taylor asked through her teeth, "I don't know, Nick. What?"

Nick grinned mischievously. "An invisible carrot." Seeming extremely pleased with himself, he laughed loudly.

She shook her head. "Nick, you're an idiot." But she was laughing with him, shaking her head at his foolishness.

And there was no point to his joke-it wasn't really even that funny-but I laughed anyway for some reason. The feeling of laughter after being so tense for so long was freeing. There was nothing like it. And soon everyone joined in, Nick's simple joke turning our quiet chuckles into fits of booming laughs.

"What's blue and smells like red paint?" Ben asked Skylar, clearly hoping that Skylar wouldn't know the answer.

Skylar shrugged, grinning. "What?"

"Blue paint."

Howls of laughter erupted from the corny joke that I was sure he got off a cereal box. And we stayed like that for a few hours. We'd laugh about things that shouldn't have been funny, and made jokes that had no sense I them. I was pretty sure that we were just laughing to laugh. And that was the point to all of this I guess, us forgetting the situation at hand, if only for a little while.

But our joy couldn't last forever. Even I knew that.

They came on like an army, an army so silent that we had no warning. They were a well-oiled machine: each movement was synchronized, like the steps to a dance they had practiced for a long time. I guess if they had the time to plot our deaths, they might as well look professional doing it. They were pressed tightly together in a formation that looked hard to break. That was the point, I suppose. Power rippled from them in waves. Mist swirled around each of them, covering their faces.

I stood with my family. This is what we had been waiting for. This is what would decide everything. Nothing would be the same after today.

I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath.


	36. Chapter 35: Duel

35. Duel

"Hmm," Cody said softly to Claire, putting his arm around her waist. "I didn't think they would actually show up. I guess you were right." There was a seductive purr to his voice that made my blood run cold.

"I know them better than you do, my love." She winked at him and her laugh was high-pitched and extremely annoying.

Jason stiffened next to me. From the corner of my eye, I saw the way he narrowed his eyes, how he clenched his fists, and how he pressed his lips into a hard line, his face determined and downright pissed. Jason was ready for the fight. He was ready to end it all. I could sense it.

Their outnumbered us by far. Claire and Cody stood in the front, clearly the leaders of the operation. Not five feet back stood Aro, Caius, Marcus, and the rest of the Volturi, the ones whom I couldn't name other than Jane and Alec. Their black cloaks billowed in the breeze, making them look like they were from a horror movie. A woman stood behind Aro and moved with him constantly. I thought it very strange, but what wasn't strange anymore? 3 males-Vampires, I assumed- stood behind the Volturi. They stared very intensely at us-no, not us. They were staring sharply at _me._ I glared back and gave them a sneer. They grimaced in return. The last person in their group was the one person who had the power to kill me with just one word…literally.

_Amber._

Her head snapped up as soon as I thought her name. Her eyes met mine, and I got the familiar rush of warmth in my cheeks. I wanted to reach out my hand, to wrap her in my strong arms, and to hold her close to my heart. I wanted to protect her from everything I've ever done to her. I wanted to take back every mistake I've ever made that has hurt her. She deserved none of this, yet she was right in the middle of everything I've tried to protect her from. My Amber. My love. My world. She was here, and she was on the wrong side.

Light as feathers, I felt her mind brush against mine. _I'm sorry,_ she whispered, and it felt like she meant it. She sounded guilty and remorseful, but not so much as to fight with me. She made her bed, and she was content to lie in it.

And just like Jason, I narrowed my eyes at her. If looks could kill, Amber would've been a crumpled heap on the grass. She took a step back, feeling the heavy weight of my glare, and turned her head from me. Good. I didn't want to see her traitor face anymore.

"How wonderful! This is just like I imagined it!" Claire clapped her hands together in glee.

"The dreams of a demented Vampire." Skylar snickered, inviting laughs from each of us. I smiled.

Cody glanced at Aro, who nodded back at Cody. They both looked worried about something, but worried about what?

"Very amusing, Skylar. Good to know your humor hasn't changed. That would be a pity." She winked at him.

"Good to know that we finally see the real Claire. I would've hated to have been fooled for much longer." Was Skylar's retort.

Claire just shook her head and smiled warmly. "You're missing the big picture here. I'm going to reshape the world. You'll see…or I guess you won't. Oh well."

"Reshape the world?" Jason scoffed. "I doubt killing every living being inside the world will do much good. There won't be a world left if you're put in charge, just ashes."

"Is that so bad?" she asked innocently.

"Is that your big plan here? To destroy the earth?" Jason asked incredulously.

"Not destroy, just rule."

It all sunk in at that moment. Why Claire wanted all of this, why she wanted us gone. She couldn't rule the world if she had a family of strong Vampires who waited in the wings to take her down at any moment. She had to stop us now, once and for all. We couldn't be allowed to live in her world.

Jason rolled the shock off of his features. "Well it's too bad that you won't be ruling the world then because we won't let that happen."

"Who says you'll be standing much longer to stop us?" Cody challenged, inviting Jason to come and stop him personally.

"Well if my son can almost kill you, I'd say all of us together have a pretty good chance."

Cody shook his head in amusement. "He caught me off guard. It won't happen again."

"I'll still kick your ass." I smirked.

"Wanna bet? You're nothing but a child, Jonathan."

Claire held up her hand, holding Cody back. "Patience. Now is not the time to fight."

Cody growled. "I don't see the point in waiting."

"There's a reason. Don't you trust me?" she looked up at him and smiled.

His eyes softened a touch. "Of course." And he kissed her.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, enough PDA. How about we get to why we're even here? I thought a big fight was going to happen? We're supposed to die? Blah blah blah. Remember any of that?" like everyone around me, I was growing anxious of waiting. I just wanted to get on with this.

"So eager to die." Claire shook her head. "You know, I'm not ready for a fight just yet."

"And what do you want to do?" Taylor snapped.

Claire beamed. "I want to talk."

"Claire, there's nothing left to talk about! We get it: you don't want us alive. You betrayed us. We've got nothing left to even say to you. So why don't we just get this whole thing on the road?" Skylar shouted, pain leaking through every word. He was breaking down. We needed to fight now before it was too late.

"They have a point. I don't see why we must delay the inevitable." Aro commented softly.

Claire spun on her heels and flashed a glare at him. "We do as I say!" Aro shrunk back; something on Claire's face clearly scared him. When she turned around to face us again, I could see why. Her expression was the same as the day I stopped Jason and Claire from fighting. Her eyes were just red orbs: I saw no light in them. That thing that Cody talked about was still inside of her, and it looked like it was growing stronger. She looked like a true monster. Then she blinked, the monster gone.

Cody shifted on his feet, uncomfortable.

"I've spent so many years with you. The least I can do is give you some little respect before I kill you." She smiled as if she had given us a compliment.

I snorted in disgust. "You call this respect? You know, you act so tough, but I bet your skill can't back up your over-confidence."

"Really?" she placed her hands on her hips and laughed. "Silly boy, you don't realize who you're talking to."

I took a step forward, breaking my rank. "Oh, I think I do. You think that you're the strongest thing alive right now. You believe that nothing can stop you. But I beg to differ. No person who betrays a family so easily can't be that unbeatable."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

"No, it's a proposal." I said sarcastically.

"You don't honestly believe that you can beat me, do you?"

"I do." I sounded stronger than I felt.

A wicked grin crossed her face. "Then let's dance, Jon. I'll take great pleasure in killing you. Slowly." She added. She dropped down low in a crouch, poised to strike at any moment. She snarled, and fear finally struck my heart. I couldn't possibly beat her. She was Claire. She was lethal and determined to kill me.

I gulped.

I tensed my muscles, preparing to phase at any moment, flipping through images of beasts from old movies that I thought might be able to bring Claire down. I pictured a dragon and began to tremble when someone interrupted my thought process.

"No."

Jason strode up to me and grabbed my arm, spinning me behind him. He threw me back about five feet and stood in my place. He squared his broad shoulders, trying to appear as tall as he could. He glanced back at me for a moment. His eyes screamed sorrow.

Claire leaned out of her deadly crouch, watching Jason closely. She appeared confused, like she hadn't of expected this. She shook her head and then displayed a row full of teeth that glinted like daggers in the light. "Didn't want your son to die just yet?" she teased.

"If you should die by anyone's hand, it should be by mine."

She laughed loudly. "You sound like that little punk could actually defeat me."

"I know 'that little punk' could do it faster than I could blink."

I bit my lip. To know that my father thought so highly of me gave me hope. If he thought I could do it, then I could. Jason now knew me better than anyone else. And I knew that Jason could surely beat her.

"I'm _so_ sure." She tilted her head. "But I'm curious, what makes _you_ think that you can beat me? I'm stronger with a lot more fighting experience. You've got nothing on me."

Jason nodded. "True, you've fought a lot more battles than me, and you've killed many more people than I ever will. But I've got a little bit of an edge too."

"Oh really?"

Now it was Jason's turn to smile. "Really. You see, when Cody switched bodies with me, I got to see into Cody's mind for a bit, and a lot of his mind involved you. And I remember all your fighting styles and weaknesses. So I may not be the best fighter, but I have the knowledge to actually win."

Her confident smile faltered. She then glared at him with such fury I thought he would catch on fire. "We'll see about that then. Are you done talking now?"

"You're the one who wanted to talk." Jason reminded her snidely, sinking into a crouch that I knew contained enough power to jump the Empire State Building.

Claire shrieked at the top of her lungs and lunged for Jason, her teeth and claws aimed for his throat.


	37. Chapter 36: Upper Hand

36. Upper Hand

The sound was deafening.

It was like boulders, thunder, and explosions all put together into one cataclysmic symphony. Echoes of every hit, every snarl, every growl, and every scream reverberated throughout this tiny field. And since everything was unnaturally silent here anyway, even the tiniest sound was louder than normal. To any bystander, it would've looked seemed like we were back in WW2: bombs and gunshots ringing out all the time. They would never expect two Vampires fighting to the death.

Personally, I think I'd rather have WW2 instead of watching my parents try to kill each other, but that's just me.

When Claire went for Jason's throat, I thought she was so fast that there was no way for Jason to dodge her, but he must've seen the charge coming because he ducked. Simultaneously, he threw his arm up and wrapped it around her neck, throwing her to the ground. Dirt spiraled through the air and dust billowed around them, making them even more of a blur. Jason threw a punch at her lower jaw, but she twisted her legs under him and pushed him off. Before Jason even hit the ground, he was up in a crouch and ready for the next move.

But she stood still for a moment. Her eyes bore into him, not letting herself get distracted for one minute. She shifted to the side, her moves cat-like and distinct. Claire was a natural predator and graceful in each of her steps. It was like watching a dance on stage-if ballets ended with one person alive and the other dead.

Jason held his body low, swaying on the balls of his feet. His eyes were dark, focused and determined. This was a side of Jason I had never seen before. I had never witnessed him being so…lethal. Yeah, I knew he could fight, and I knew he was strong, but watching him like this was different. I knew he was fighting for his life, fighting for all of our lives. He couldn't afford _not_ to be deadly at this point. But I wonder what it was like, fighting the girl you were so madly in love with and probably still are. Jason might like to say he hates her, but a bond so strong can't be broken that easily. He still loves her. I knew that.

"Not bad." Claire remarked, her feline smile spreading across her cheeks.

Jason just grunted and sprinted for her. Claire braced herself for the impact that 212 lbs of Pryor-Wolf, but Jason didn't hit her. Instead, he used his momentum to leap over her, snatch her head with his legs, and throw her back to the ground. She landed with a heavy _thud_ while Jason held her in the headlock.

Claire, however, was more flexible than I think Jason expected. She flipped her body over her head and gave a kick straight to Jason's face. He roared out in pain and released Claire from his grip. She used that opportunity to take Jason by the arm and toss him across the field as easily as if he was a rag doll. Jason hit a tree that snapped in half on impact. She rubbed the dust from her hands and gave Cody a brilliant smile. He winked at her.

And that was when it hit me.

Claire was just playing with Jason. every time he took her down, she had more than enough time to escape his clutches, but she chose to let herself be dragged to the ground. Now Jason was tired and beaten while she was just barely scratched. This entire fight was a game to her. She knew that he could never beat her. She was toying with her prey until she got bored enough to kill Jason.

And that _pissed_ me off.

It was just supposed to be Jason and Claire fighting, but maybe I can help Jason even by just standing here. I reached out my mind, feeling the connection grow between us as he let me in. our minds thought together, our breathing was the same, and our vision was coming from both angles of the slanted view. This was our advantage, and we were sure as hell going to use it.

_She's just toying with you, Jason,_ I thought.

_I know,_ he was frustrated more at the fact that he was barely fighting with her than the fact that I pointed out the obvious. _I would be dead right now if she really wanted me dead._

_Maybe our advantage is the fact that she likes games. If we keep going, she might slip up, _I added.

_I guess we have no other option than to keep trying._

_What do you mean _we_? _

Jason laughed inside of his head, and I could feel his smile as he emerged through the trees.

I watched Claire through his eyes. I tried my best to see any weaknesses she had just standing there, but I saw none. The task of defeating her seemed impossible. How in the world were we going to actually kill her? Well first, she needed to actually start fighting Jason. We couldn't find a weak point if she was holding back.

_Easy for you to say. You're not the one getting used as a punching bag._ Jason said sarcastically, but he agreed with me.

"Enough with the games, Claire. I know you well enough to know when you're holding back. I'm done with playing around. Let's finish this. Now."

Claire shrugged, a glint of humor in her eyes. "If that's what you want."

Jason growled, shifting down into the crouch. He narrowed his eyes at her and signaled with his hand for her to begin.

We waited patiently for her to come at us. With my view from looking at her from the side and his view coming from straight on, we saw two different angles of her that we could use to look for anything we needed to attack. We had two crucial points to see any mistakes she might make, and if she did, there was no way that we could miss them.

She barred her teeth, and we began to circle each other. We watched each other with each step the other took. Jason kept his eyes on her face while I glanced at her feet. The way she leaned and moved, I saw she favored her left side, which was different for a right-handed person. It seemed like a small detail, but this was most likely the break we needed. If we could stay on her right side, we might have a chance to attack her weaker arm.

At that moment she sprung, her left arm leading her aim, just as I had suspected. Jason moved slightly to her right side, and when she came closer, he let her hit him full force. He was knocked backwards, but he took her with him, grabbing her right arm and twisting it behind her back. She squirmed underneath his grip, unable to get her left arm around to strike him. She screamed in exasperation and threw her head back, hitting Jason right in the face. She used her legs to kick his chest and give herself some room to move.

But she didn't wait for long before she went at Jason again. She swung her leg high and hit him in the neck, making his head snap to one side. She struck his face with her fist, the connection sounding more like a gunshot than a punch. He was thrown 20 feet away from Claire.

_You just going to watch, or are you going to help me?_ Jason demanded harshly.

_Sorry. _

What else was there other than she favors her left side? There had to be more than meets the eye here. To figure it out, I just thought about what I did know.

Claire likes to play games. She has enough confidence to think that she can fight little enough to have fun and still kick our butts. She was fast, strong, and cunning. She thought like an animal and went with her instincts. And so far my train of thought hasn't helped me discover anything.

So she's a strong Vampire with killer instincts. But what about the human side of her? Her body was still somewhat human since she had to be brought back from the dead, and she died as a human. Wouldn't that make her body a little bit more fragile? But her body looked flawless and complete, was there a weakness there?

Something tugged at the back of my mind, an old story that seemed so insignificant at the time, I'm surprised I even remembered it. Jason told me once that when Claire was having me, her body was changing back into a Vampire. When they checked over her body, they saw two puncture marks on her neck, indicating where Cody had bitten her when he first changed her. Those two little wounds just might be our ticket to gaining the upper hand.

I zeroed in on the spot in her neck where the marks would be, finding them just at the base of her chin, right where her jugular would be. The skin looked just a little bit less protected there with a slight discoloration. I was sure that somehow hitting that spot would hurt her.

_Think you can hit it?_ I asked, positive that he had been following my train of thought the entire two seconds that had passed.

_Just punch her in the neck? _he was highly skeptical.

_You got a better idea?_

Jason said nothing, knowing that he had no idea on what to do next. So he took a deep breath and found the place I was thinking about. Without thinking about it and giving Claire any extra time to defend herself, Jason jumped. He was on her in the next instant. He jabbed at her neck, right where the marks were, but Claire didn't crumbled to the ground like I thought. Instead, she just looked irritated and shoved Jason off. She gave him another kick that sent him flying once again.

_Any other bright ideas?_ he thought sarcastically. He was breathing hard, and I knew he was in a lot of pain. I could feel blood leaving his body and the bruises that were already forming. If we didn't come up with something soon, Jason wasn't going to make it.

_A few_, I said defensively. I racked my brain for something else that might help us. I was still sure that those puncture wounds were valuable, but punching them didn't do the trick. How else could we use them to hurt her?

_Bite her_, I thought suddenly.

Jason didn't even say anything. There was skepticism in his silence. I could feel his eyebrow raise in confusion.

It didn't really know why I even thought of that, but for some reason it just felt right. So I didn't know how to explain that to Jason.

_Just trust me, okay? Bit her right where those marks are._ I was silently praying to any higher being that was listening for this to be the answer.

Jason got off the ground slowly, assessing the damages he had. He didn't make a sound, but I knew he wanted to moan. There was no way he was going to let Claire know he was hurt. Knowing he was in pain, I thought about how this was probably our last shot. If this didn't work, the fight would be over. Claire would win. My dad would die. Either way, I would only have one parent living after this.

He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. Claire watched him keenly with an expecting smile. Jason started running for her, using every ounce of his speed to be as quick as he could. Instead of grabbing her, like Claire expect, he used his shoulder to knock her aside, leaving her off balance. He then spun on his heels and lunged for her. She stepped to the side just in time, and his hands grabbed the empty air. He rolled onto the ground, unable to stop himself from falling. Claire grabbed his arm and intended to throw him over her shoulder, but he sued her plan to swing himself in front of her and hook his legs around her waist, constricting her arms with his thighs. He used that opportunity to hold on firmly to her shoulders and to sink his teeth into the flesh of her neck.

Claire screamed in pain, and her knees buckled from under her. Jason went down with her as she began to sink towards the ground. Her screams grew weaker, and her attempts to escape his grip grew feeble.

I was so proud that I was actually right in how to bring Claire down, that I almost missed the fact that Claire was looking straight at me.

Almost.

Her eyes, her crimson red eyes, pierced mine in such a way that it took my breath away. And for a second it seemed like something had struck my chest. But when I looked at Claire, the wall my brain had built up to keep me from remembering anything I'd forgotten. Every memory and detail of the last dream I had came rushing back to me like a jolt of lightning. I shuddered as my brain tried to process everything. I was so consumed to the onslaught of thoughts that I let my connection with Jason slip away, leaving him in the dark about what I remembered. We were two separate people again, leaving our jointed vision and similar breathing behind.

I remembered what Claire had told me about what I should do when things go wrong and that I would know when they had. And by watching the scene in front of me, I knew that something here was definitely wrong. Claire was fighting for us. She died for us. And we were killing her. If she died, how would that solve anything?

I was prepared to stop Jason from killing her because I knew he would, but Claire distracted me again, making me look straight into her eyes. She shook her head softly. No one would have noticed her movement if they hadn't of been watching her like I had. But I was, and I did. Her eyes screamed for me to stop, to let this happen. I still didn't know what her death would solve, but I promised her that I trusted her. I would just have to take Claire at her word. She knew what she was doing. At least I hoped she did.

So I just watched.

* * *

Jason Greenfield had done it. He had fought Claire, and he had defeated her. He never dreamed that he could actually beat her, but he knew he had to try for the sake of his family. Maybe if he could wound her enough, the others could finish off what he started. That was his hope when he began the duel.

But now he had actually won. He listened to Jonathan and hit her in the spot where he believed Claire to be the weakest. And Jonathan was right. Claire crumbled in Jason's arms, unable to escape with her weak attempts. As he drank the blood inside her body, the blood that he knew shouldn't of been there, he felt her life slipping away. Part of him was sad, but the other was glad that this was finally over.

Thoughts eventually began to press against his mind, the force of them growing quicker than he expected, and they came from Jonathan. He tried to sort them out himself, but Jonathan withdrew from his mind, leaving him alone. He didn't blame him. What son wanted to feel his mother's death? Especially since he lived so long thinking he caused it the first time? Jonathan was right to go. This was a burden Jason should carry alone.

Claire shifted her head slightly, just a tiny movement from left to right, such a tiny shift that Jason thought nothing of it. What he was thinking of was that fact that Cody wasn't stopping him. He claimed that he loved this girl so much, and yet he was letting her die right in front of him. Maybe he didn't care about her the way he said he did. Either way, he didn't care. Claire was going to die. Right here. Right now. Right in his arms. There was no doubting that.

Jason dropped Claire, her body hitting the ground with a soft_ thump._ he looked into her eyes as they zoned in and out. He thought about how this was going to be the last time he ever saw her alive. He was furious that she had let this happen to them. They had been perfect together, and now he had killed her. Jason never once dreamed of this happening in his lifetime. But it had. Their love was over. They were done. He had loved and now he had lost. Claire was right: love destroyed.

"I'm sorry." she whispered, her voice ragged and harsh.

"What?" Jason asked, astounded, furious, and down right confused.

Claire shook her head and closed her eyes.

And then Jason watched Claire die for the second time.


	38. Chapter 37: Twist

37. Twist

There was a beat of silence as Jason dropped Claire's now limp form. No one was breathing. No one was moving. Everything was still as we witnessed the final murder of Claire Emerson. We were frozen in time to the point where I thought we would never move. It took a few beats of my heart to finally put the thoughts together in one coherent sentence.

Claire is dead. The reality hit me like a slap in the face. She had done some terrible things in her life: all the lies and the secrets, all the deceptions and masks, all the screams and shouts, all the deaths and murders-she had done so much bad in her lifetime, but she also had done so much good. She had loved two men with all of her soul. She left one for the other, only to leave Jason again for Cody. But that was another lie. She made her family that stood around me. She created bonds with them that took a series of painful moments to sever that. She made me, a son who was worth far more than I would ever know. Claire had been a monster, but she had been one with a purpose.

But what was her purpose here? What did dying solve? How would her death bring down Cody? Did she think now that she was gone that we could somehow defeat him? Or did she know that we would lose and hope to see us on the other side when our own deaths came? Well whatever her plan was, I didn't really like it at the moment.

What I did know was that Cody was going to pay. He would taste the sweet flavor of vengeance that only a Pryor-Wolf could bring. Cody wouldn't be standing much longer if I had anything to say about it. This was _his _fault. Everything that happened here was because of his doing. _He_ bit Claire. _He _tried to kill Jason. _He _turned Claire human. _He _made Jason punch Claire. _He _switched bodies with Jason. _He_ let Claire die. _He_ took Amber away. _He _almost killed her with drugs. _He_ stole her away again. All of this was Cody's fault. Everything that happened in my life and the life before me was somehow connected to that monster of a person.And I was going to make sure he paid for every life and moment he stole from us.

I glanced at Cody, expecting a look of rage on his face. I thought that there would be smoke coming from his ears, that he would be just itching to tear Jason limb from limb. I thought that Jason would already be writhing on the ground, but he wasn't. In fact Cody hadn't moved from the spot he was in since the fight began.

Cody looked…sad. The way he stood there, his shoulders slumped and his gaze defeated, was not was I was expecting. He wasn't the over-confident man I knew him to be. At that moment he truly looked his age. He was worn out and beaten. And it was right then and there that I realized his true feelings for Claire. He never once believed that she would lose, and it shocked him to see that she did. The way he looked like he was dying inside showed me that he loved Claire with every fiber of his being. He lost the girl he fought so hard for. He never fought the way he should have for her, like a kind man, but he fought for her.

What would he do now that his reason for doing all of this was dead? I never thought about why Cody did what he did, but I was sure that Claire was the motive behind it. Now that she was truly gone for the final time, what would he do with his life? Would he wither away? Would he kill all of us first? Would he terrorize the planet so he wouldn't feel the sharp sting of loss? Would he finally just let go of it all? For once Cody seemed truly fragile.

Jason stood up and distanced himself from Claire, slowly backtracking his way to us, his eyes never leaving her motionless body. I wonder how Jason was taking all of this. Was he secretly burning on the inside, his want for the fight dissolving as his reason for even living was gone too? Did it hurt worse to know that his own hands had caused her death? Was he going to be able to bear that burden that I had tried to shoulder for so long too?

His eyes brushed mine, just for a second, but I saw in that second the answer to all of my questions.

Jason was a burning man.

_Jason? _I questioned timidly, opening my mind enough so I could feel some of what he was going through in hopes to help him carry the hurt.

But Jason shut me out of his mind. He closed the doors to every path of his thoughts. I felt nothing from him. At first I was hurt that he didn't want me to help him, but Jason just looked at me and shook his head.

_Focus on the fight. We'll worry about me later._ He cast me a sad smile to show that he was shouldering his pain. He was going to fight, and he was going to avenge Claire. That much I could see.

Jason was right. I needed to focus on the fight instead of worrying about what everyone else was feeling. This battle was far from over. In fact, I was sure that this was about to get a whole lot worse. With Claire gone, we had much more of a chance of winning, but I was positive that Cody would fight just as hard as Jason. Both of them will be using the pain of Claire to fuel their fighting. And then came the Volturi, the three Vampires in the back that I had no idea who they were, and then…Amber.

I gulped. What was I supposed to do about Amber? From the look on her face, I could tell that she hadn't expected Jason to win either, but she still looked so innocent there. How in the world was she going to fight all of us? She was a Witch-I knew that now. She stopped the fire when I tried to kill myself, she spoke to me in my head with realizing it, and she kept me from slamming into the wall by having me float about the ground. Amber definitely had some power in her, but how much did she have? To what extent could she fight? What had Cody taught her in the short time he had her? Could I still save her?

Both side just stared at each other. The silence was louder here than I would have expected possible. The tension between our stillness was growing increasingly fast. I was waiting for one of the sides to explode and begin the battle we all had been waiting for. Looking around at my family, trying to see how prepared they looked to fight after seeing Claire die, I realized that Skylar was missing, along with Angel.

Where were they?

Panic began to set in. Angel and Skylar were our best fighters beside Taylor. If they weren't by our side when the battle began, what chance did we have at winning?

There were shouts of alarm on the other wide of the field. Two of the Volturi fell without warning, the ones I knew as Jane and Alec. They crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes, as if something had struck them from behind. Everyone in their rank turned to see the commotion. They turned their backs on us. It was their first mistake.

With a small _pop! _Angel and Skylar appeared again, but this time they had more with them. Edward, Bella, Emmett, and Jasper were all standing there, hard looks on each of their faces. They all were prepared to fight. It made sense to bring them. Bella could stop any attacks from Jane and Alec, Edward would go wherever Bella went, Emmett wouldn't miss a fight for anything, and I was sure that Jasper just rode along as a favor to Carlisle to try to keep things as calm as possible.

Everyone seemed surprised to see them well they finally returned their eyes to us. Realizing they had been tricked, they glared at the new members of our party. Aro smiled wickedly. Jane looked like she wanted to tear someone's eyes out from letting Skylar sneak up on her like that.

"Took you long enough." I remarked to Edward, who smiled at me.

"I guess the first time we almost fought them wasn't enough. We had to go for the whole bloodbath." He winked at me and then faced the people we were bound to fight.

"So what now?" Jason asked loudly, even thought we all could hear him if he had spoken at a normal tone. "I killed Claire. Do you still want to fight us?"

Cody took a step forward, his face of sadness replaced with a hard mask. He spit on the ground. "Claire underestimated you. I won't do the same." He glanced at Claire's body and then back at Jason. "How does it feel to kill the person who died to protect you?"

Jason snorted. "Not this again. Claire betrayed us. She lied, and we believed her. She didn't die to save us. She died to be with you. Congratulations. You won her."

Cody shook her head. "You fool. You don't get it do you? This entire time Claire was trying to get me to believe that she wanted you guys dead. She almost fooled me too, but I saw through her like glass. She came with this elaborate plan on how to destroy you and pretended that she loved me so I would believe her."

"I-I don't understand."

He laughed mockingly. "Claire did all of this so I would trust her, and then when it came to this and I turned me back, she would kill me. That was her plan this entire time. She never planned on killing any of you. She planned on my death before it even came to a fight." He grinned proudly. "So I'm going to ask you again: how does it feel to kill the person who died to protect you?"

Jason blinked, as did the rest of us. I mean I knew that Claire had something in mind to kill Cody, but if Cody knew all this time, why did he let it go on this long? Is that why he let Claire die? Is that why he didn't save her from Jason?

Jason's face was puzzled, but then his eyes grew hard and disbelieving. "I don't believe you." He spat.

Cody shrugged his shoulders. "You don't have to. I just wanted you to hear the truth. What you do with that information is up to you." His voice changed suddenly into an eerie, low timbre. "And though you claim that you don't believe me, a part of you inside is holding on to that truth. The doubt will slowly eat you from the inside out. You'll go crazy one of these days. I don't need to kill you: you'll end up killing yourself in the long run."

"You're lying. This is just a ploy for you to get inside my head. Well I'm not letting you do that."

Cody just smiled. "My dear boy, I'm already inside your head. I've been in there since I first met you in that blasted desert. I've never left you."

Jason growled threateningly. "Are you just going to talk this entire time, or do you want to get on with what we came here for?"

He cracked his knuckles, a low chuckled coming from under his breath. "Bring it on, pup."

Jason shook, his whole body trembling. His form blurred as he became something other than himself. In his place stood the towering monster of a wolf, blacker than pitch fur bristled and on end. He pressed his ears to the base of his skull and let out a menacing growl that made the earth vibrate. Jason was a machine ready to kill, and his target was only 20 feet away from him.

He charged Cody, each step making the ground shake. It was like an earthquake that never ended. Cody lunged for Jason, his claw-like fingers pointed at his throat. There were about to collide when an invisible force halted their pursuit and threw them both to the ground. It was like someone had put up a glass wall in-between our two clans, but who?

Standing in the back where no one could see her, Amber was moving her lips at a furious speed, mumbling words that I couldn't catch from this far away. But if I had to guess, I would say that she was the reason for the "wall" being put in place between Jason and Cody.

"_You._" Cody snarled. "How dare you!"

Amber just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Just playing the game like you told me to."

Cody ran for her, his wrath about to be poured out on her fragile, human body. Every cell in my body screamed for me to stop him, but I couldn't do anything. She had that wall up; there was no way I was getting past it if Cody couldn't even penetrate it. Amber was on her own. I just hoped that maybe she could defend herself somehow.

He was only mere feet from her when he crumbled to the ground, his body being racked with spasms. He cried out in agony as something unseen hurt him. I didn't understand what was going on, but I guess that was the point. If I didn't know, then neither would Cody.

"I don't think so." Said a voice that shouldn't have been talking, let alone walking towards Cody's writhing form.

She leaned over him, an angelic smile beaming down on him. She brushed the hair from his anguished face before turning her head and finding my eyes. She winked, her scarlet eyes shining brightly.

My breath caught.

Claire.


	39. Chapter 38: Just Begun

38. Just Begun

Claire wasn't dead. Well, at least she wasn't anymore.

We all stared at her, not exactly comprehending that she was actually in front of us. Even the Volturi seemed shocked, each stepping back with mouths gapping wide. The only one who didn't back up or even look surprised what Amber. She stepped forward with a newfound confidence and took her place by Claire's side. She glanced down at Cody only fleetingly, but her eyes found mine. Her face broke down into a breathtaking smile.

And then she ran for me.

I met Amber halfway, taking her into my arms and twirling her around in the air. Then I crushed her body to mine and just held her there. I took in the sweet scent of her hair, her skin, and her breath. I felt her steady heartbeat, quickened from running. I touched her smooth arms and the small of her back. I retraced everything about her, memorizing any feature of her that I had forgotten. She giggled in my arms and kissed my neck, finding her way up to my lips. Amber kissed my gently before looking me straight in the eyes with an apology deep in her gaze.

"I'm so-" I didn't let her finish. I pulled her against me again, cradling her tightly to my chest.

"Hush. I don't care. I love you."

She shook her head. "You are much too good for me."

I snorted. "More like the other way around." I brushed her hair from her eyes, revealing those honey brown eyes with speckles of chocolate around the iris. This was the girl I fell in love with. She was back. My Amber was safe in my arms.

"I love you, Jonathan Charles Greenfield."

I pressed my lips to her hair. "And I love you more."

She beamed at me.

Cody screamed in agony once more, making me spin Amber behind my back. He was still jerking on the ground with Claire just staring at him like she was watching something she had never seen before.

"You could've avoided all of this you know?" Claire walked around Cody, never once taking her eyes off him. "If you had just left Jason and I alone instead confronting us in that desert, well you wouldn't be on the ground right now. You could've still lived." She leaned close to him, putting her lips next to his ear. "But now I have to kill you. Sad isn't it?"

He tried to say something to her, but his speech was garbled and choked by his current condition.

"It did surprise me, however, that you knew all this time. I thought I had you fooled. What doesn't make sense is how you played this out. Did you honestly think that I didn't have a plan b? Did you think that I wouldn't think I would somehow die?" she made a _tsk_ noise. "That's not like you, Cody, to not look at the bigger perspective. I'm disappointed actually.

"I mean if you knew, then why didn't you kill me earlier? Why play along with me, Cody, if you knew all this time? That doesn't make any sense. You have let your feelings for me condemn you to death. It is you who is the blind fool this time."

"I figured the Nephilim would've taken control by now." Cody blurted out suddenly, his voice riddled with levels of pain.

She laughed. "The Nephilim was never close to escaping, Cody. I guess I fooled you after all."

His eyes flew open wide. "Not…close?" he stuttered. "But you…were…different. I could…see it in…your eyes." He screamed, the pain flaring as Claire laughed sadistically.

"Oh, please. It's still there. The Nephilim has always _been_ there. I've always had a grip on it; I just decided to loosen it for a bit to get you to believe I was going insane. You see, I knew you would be skeptical whether I was turning Nephilim again or not. I just had to give you a reason to trust me for just a bit longer until I completed my plan."

"Pla-an?"

She smiled beautifully. "To kill you, of course." She sounded as sweet and innocent if she had just complimented his shoes.

He groaned, but this time I don't think it was from the pain of her gift.

Claire sat down next time him, crossing her legs. She brought his head and laid it in her lap, stroking his blond hair. She looked at him sadly. "I would like to apologize though." Her voice took on a strange twinge of regret. "I lied. I made you into something you weren't. You used to be so kind, so gentle, and so loving. But I twisted you, changed you into this monster. So in the end, your death is my fault, but you had your chance to change." She shrugged her shoulders. Then Claire sighed sadly. "I _do_ love you, Cody. I always have, even when I refused to admit it. You and I always belonged together. It used to be you and me against the world."

She got up, letting his head drop harshly on the ground. She brushed the dirt and grass from her jeans. "But that's over now. I can't let you hurt my family anymore. I'm sorry." As she looked at him a final time, I couldn't help but notice the pain that swelled in her eyes, the hurt that went down level after level to her core, and the moments that now turned to bitter memories that could never be brought back again. The suffering reached her at a deeper level than I possibly could fathom, but the pain was there. Not even her wall could hide it from her eyes.

I was positive Jason was aware of her hesitation, her hurt.

But Claire shook away her doubts with a roll of her shoulders, and with a twitch of her hand, she ended it.

And just like that, Cody Evans stopped twitching uncontrollably. His head fell so to the side, slack. He looked so unnaturally still.

After all that Cody had done to us-all the lies, fights, and tortures, it was hard to actually believe that the great Cody Evans was dead, that Claire had just suddenly taken the life of the man that had caused to much pain in our lives, that it was all over just like that. But it wasn't over.

In fact, the fight had just begun.

Over on the other side, the Volturi growled viciously. The three Vampires in the back licked their lips, thirsting for our blood, I suppose. All of their eyes glowed with the thought of revenge. They looked more deadly than I thought they could.

Something happened to Claire, though. As soon as Cody had stopped moving, she grew uneasily still and stiff. Her muscles looked like they were locked in place as if she was set in stone. A roll of shock swept through her, causing her knees to buckle from under her. Like a broken doll, Claire dropped to the ground. She twitched, her body pulsing to a rhythm I couldn't comprehend. But then she was back to her feet like none of that had even happened.

Claire was in front of us in a second. Her face was flustered and wild. She looked worried and somewhat distraught. "Look. I'm sure all of you hate me, and, trust me, I get that. I also know that you don't even have the slightest clue of what's going on. But right now," she pointed over to the bloodthirsty group of Vampires, "We have bigger problems. And I can't take all of them on alone. I need all of your help. And afterwards when I explain, I'll leave if that's what you want." She pleaded with us, her eyes desperate for help.

We just stared at her, not quite comprehending what she was saying, like she was talking in another language from Star Trek.

"Please." She breathed, closing her eyes.

"Okay." Jason said, meeting Claire's gaze straight on. "I'm with you."

She nodded, her smile faltering when she glanced at him.

"Me, too." Skylar agreed.

"Me, three." Taylor nodded, her face somewhat distrustful.

Syd grimaced, but she nodded.

Everyone agreed to fight with her, though I doubted everyone was willing. I was sure that many of them, still feeling the sting of her betrayal, wished that Claire still lay on the ground, dead. Even I knew the truth of what was going on, and I somewhat wanted her dead again too. It would make things so much easier than trying to understand the truth. But life wasn't easy.

Love destroys thing, we should know.

But our bond was still there. Nothing in the world could sever the bond forged over countless years of laughter and memories. She had screwed up, but Claire was still family. I just hoped everyone, especially Jason, could see it like I did. I didn't want her to leave just because he couldn't get over his pride. His pride would be the downfall of us all if he didn't control it.

Claire dipped her head, clearly pleased with the fact that they were with her for now, and turned to face the people who hungered for our death. We flanked behind her, Jason on her right and Skylar on her left. The rest of us filed behind them, making a tight pact, a close family. By looking at us, one could tell we were strong, close, and powerful. Our formation wasn't one someone could easily break. It would take hard earned effort.

But I was sure the Volturi was more than willing to bring the heat.

I tried to shuffle Amber behind me, to get her to stay in the back while we fought. If anything were to happen to her…I don't know what I would do. She was my reason for fighting. I needed her safe. Amber resisted me though, something that surprised me.

"I'm fighting with you." She stuck her chin out stubbornly and crossed her arms tightly to her chest.

I shook my head roughly. "I need you to stay here, Amber." She gave me a challenging look. "I need to know you're safe."

"If it were you standing here, you would want to fight with me too."

"That's different."

She raised an eyebrow. "How?"

I sighed, knowing she wasn't going to give up. "Amber, if something were to happen to you…I-I don't know…" my words were caught in my throat.

Her eyes softened. She placed the plan of her hand on my cheek, her honey-chocolate eyes making my heart melt instantly. "I know you are only doing this because you care about my safety, but did you ever think I want to fight with you for the same reasons?" she looked down, unable to meet my eyes. "I lost you once, Jon, and I don't think I could do it again."

I never thought of it that way, of her feelings for me. All this time I was thinking of myself and my feelings, never once taking into consideration how she would feel about my fighting. I had lost, but she carried the real burden all this time, knowing the truth about why she left. She had to lie constantly. I just had to listen to the lies. All this time Amber was doing what would've brought me to my knees. It took me this long to figure it out, but Amber was stronger than I could ever be.

"Okay." I conceded, pulling her close to me and planting a kiss on her lips. "But nothing too adventurous. You don't need to be a hero."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Same for you."

I released her unwillingly, still unsure about her fighting with us. These were Vampires, and not just any Vampires: they were Volturi Vampires. They were more skilled than even I was.

Amber noticed my unease and smiled. "I'm stronger than you think, you know. Claire and Cody taught me some tricks. My blood is thick with the magic of my past. I can do this. I'm a kick-ass Witch, babe."

I rolled my eyes at her and took her hand, wondering if this was the last time I would ever get to feel the heat of her skin against my flesh. She was still human. She could die. _I _could die. This could be the last time we're together.

Shuddering, I pressed the thought from my head. Worrying about my possible death was the last thing I needed to think about. I reached out my mind for Jason's, growing the connection between us.

_Ready?_ I asked

_For anything._ He paused. _Jonathan? You know, if anything were to happen-_

_ Nothing is going to happen,_ I said, cutting him off. Then I added, _I love you too, dad._

Amber squeezed my hand gently and gave me a reassuring smile that normally would've made my shoulders fall and my stance relax. But I couldn't bring my stiff muscles to loosen. To be honest, I felt anything but reassured at this point. I had fought many things before, but I never felt this fear of dying. Never once had I pictured my life ending right here and now. I didn't know what this feeling meant, but I knew it couldn't be good. I was scared. I was worried.

_I love you._ Amber whispered in my mind, trying to take any of the worry from my posture. I admired her for trying, but I wouldn't relax until this fight was over, if I was still alive. If either of us were.

_And I love you._

And I prayed to God that those weren't the last words I said to her.


	40. Chapter 39: Over

39. Over

Calm before the storm. That's what was going through my mind as we stood there, fists clenched and jaws set. It was eerily silent, yet it was sort of peaceful. A slight breeze rustled the leaves around us, bringing a symphony of nature all around us. Scents of dry earth and trees overcame my senses. Had we not been in this moment, fighting for our lives, I would've liked to just be here. It was soothing, like I knew exactly where to look to find something that calmed me down.

I eyed Jasper, knowing that there was no way in hell that I would be this calm without some sort of gift meddling with my consciousness. I wouldn't put it past him to try to end the fight before it started, but I doubted something this big and infuriating could be stopped by a simple mind trick. My brain may be calm, but my body itched for their deaths. I wanted to fight them. I wanted to make them pay for everything they had ever done. I wanted to hear their screams. I wanted to make them suffer like they'd me. No little mind-trick was going to take that vengeance from me.

He shrugged his shoulders, giving me the look that said "I had to try". And I couldn't blame him. If you could, why not try to spare as many lives as you could? He had as much stake in this as I did-I was sure he wanted to fight too, but I got the fact that he would want to protect his family too. Not all of us were going to make it after this fight, but we could if we never fought.

The calm couldn't last forever, though.

"You may not believe me right now," Claire said suddenly, her eyes sweeping over all of us, "But I love all of you to my very core. I'm so sorry it came to this." Her face then became vicious and monstrous, like a demon had been awakened in her. "Jane is mine."

A guttural growl responded to her claim, and I was sure it came from the tiny girl who had more tricks up her sleeves than an octopus. Even though she was half my size, she intimidated me. I wasn't upset that someone else wanted to rip her apart. Claire could have her.

I zeroed in on the group of male Vampires in the back, something about them drawing me to them. They stared at me from the beginning, and I instantly knew that I wanted to take them down first. If they had a beef with me, I was all for killing them.

Claire glanced at me, then back at the men I was glaring at. She opened her mouth, as if she was going to warn me about something, but wasn't able to get a single noise out before the Volturi launched into attack, their snarls bouncing around the silent meadow. They came at us at full speed, and any warning Claire was about to give me was lost in the wind as she charged the opposition without a moment of hesitation.

I sneaked a peek at Amber, meeting her eyes for just a second, hoping to tell her everything I've always wanted to tell her in a single moment. Then I faced our enemy, prayed that Amber would be safe, and sprinted for the Vampires in the back.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to be in human form when I met them for battle or phase, so I went with my instincts and let my body choose.

I leaped, my body morphing in mid-step, so when I landed a second later, I was the beast my mind chose for me. Raising my huge head, I scanned the scene, watching everyone freeze to get a look at me. Even Jason seemed surprised by my choice of phasing, his wide eyes soaking in the monster I had become.

Never in my life had I seen a panther in person, but my mind had somehow known how _deadly_ these creatures are. I pictured what I must've looked like to them: a large cat the size of a horse with sleek, black fur that stood on end; broad shoulders with ripples of muscles and bulges where massive veins trailed along my neck and legs; giant paws that sensed every vibration in the ground and held sharp stakes I believe would be called claws; a tail as thick as a cord of rope that swished angrily from side to side; and spikes of teeth that could rip apart steel if the moment was right.

Letting out a fearsome roar, I pressed my ears flat to my skull and barred my teeth, allowing all to see how monstrous I could really be. I sincerely hope that I struck terror into their hearts with that cry of war. I stamped the ground with one large paw and aimed for my first target. With a swish of my tail for balance, I leaped for the Vampire who struck me as the little group's leader.

He wasn't stocky and built, which led me to underestimate his strength, the thing I was taught _not_ to do. He was short and lanky with messy black hair that dangled in front of his eyes. The Vampire stood there, watching me bound towards him. His only facial expression was a sly smile.

When I was close enough to strike, I stretched me head out in hope that my teeth would sink into his flesh with ease. But as I prepared to close my massive jaw, I realized my target was gone. I clamped down in air, the Vampire standing to my right as if I had miscalculated where he was. Not missing a beat, I turned for another try, this time swiping with my paws so I could keep my eyes on him. My only problem was that I took my eyes off his companions, giving them an opening to attack my flank.

Searing pain lashed into my left thigh. Twisting my head around, I saw one of the other Vampires clinging to my leg, digging his teeth into my muscle. With a growl, I grabbed his head in my mouth and pulled, a sickening _crunch _following as I removed his head form his body. I tossed the head away from us, hoping it would give me an advantage since I only had to deal with two instead of three.

I barred my teeth as I faced them, momentarily forgetting about the burning pain in my left leg. It was a problem I could deal with later. They stared at their lost friend for only a moment before I had their undivided attention. I used their second of confusion to my advantage.

Again, I went for the leader of the coven, but I kept my eyes on him this time, not letting him get the better of me twice. He attempted to sidestep away from me, but I shifted along with him and pounced on him, taking him to the ground roughly. He struggled under my weight, trying to find some weak stop of mine by squirming around. I didn't let him get the chance to find anything though because I quickly tore his head from his shoulders and tossed it in the same area with his buddy's.

I leaped off of him, ready to take on the final person in the party. What I saw, however, was not what I expected. I expected the lone Vampire to be beyond pissed that I just killed his two friends. I expected the other two to be laying on the ground, completely useless and gone to their cause. I never expected them to be picking up their heads and reattaching them back to their bodies.

Ice filled my veins.

I had killed them, hadn't I? You couldn't really do much without a head. So how were they still walking around and ready to fight me again? What made them so strong to put themselves back together again?

That was when I really looked at the Vampires before me and realized that they weren't Vampires. Their skin, which was a pale white, also had a touch to color to their features. Their eyes were different shades of blue, green, and brown. Their veins bulged in their necks and under their eyes, showing where the blood was pumping through their bodies. Blood. Pumping. Vampires don't have prominent veins, let alone proof that blood was flowing through them. No, they weren't Vampires at all.

They were Pryor-Wolves.

I thought my heart hit the ground at this sudden realization. It wasn't just the fact that they were indestructible like me or extremely hard to kill since they've been like this for much longer than I have obviously. It was more like the fact that they were my own kind, my species, and I was about to kill them. I didn't know how many of us were out there seeing as Claire told Jason a long time ago that our numbers were limited. Could they be one of the only ones left? Was I about to kill my own species?

My sentimental wave about made me hesitate, but something came into my peripheral vision that drove me into action: Amber fighting hand-to-hand with a Vampire whose name I believed was Felix. Just watching her take on such a foe made me jump into action without another thought. They chose to fight with the Volturi. They deserved to die for even thinking about killing any of my family.

I sneered-at least I think panther's could sneer-and remembered all I knew about Pryor-Wolves. We definitely were hard to kill. Our skin could only be penetrated by another Pryor-Wolf which explained why I could tear into them so easily. The only way to kill one was ripping out its heart and burning it. There were only two problems with that solution: one, I had no way of getting their heart out since they would sure be protecting it and two, I had no fire to even burn them with.

_If only your girlfriend was a Witch_, Amber commented on my thoughts, clearly having kept the connection between us from earlier.

I smiled. _Think you're up for it?_

I could hear her internal snort. _Just tell me when._

Okay, so now I had a way to kill them. I just needed to remove their hearts from their bodies. No big deal.

I sunk low into a crouch, contracting my muscles in preparation to spring. I decided that I would just lunge for them and use as much power as I could into ripping the heart out in just one pull. I sprung in the next moment, taking aim at the dead center of the leader's chest. I was hoping that they wouldn't expect just a direct attack at their one weakness and wouldn't be thinking about me going for their heart.

We collided with a loud bang, throwing ourselves several feet from where we were. I didn't pause before I used my teeth to dig into his chest and find the most crucial muscle in the entire body. I ignored his screams, refusing to let them get to me. This was the first time I was ever actually trying to kill someone. I was sure that this was going to leave more of a mark than I was ready for, but I couldn't stop now. We had to win. I had to protect Amber.

I finally found what I was looking for. With a tight grip on the muscle that was the size of a fist, I pulled violently and threw it into the air.

_Amber, now!_

As soon as I released the heart, it had burst into flames, slowly disintegrating into dust in the wind as it burned away. I glanced back at the man couldn't believe what I saw laying there in his place. Instead of a decaying body like I expected, a skeleton that was charred harshly with ashes scattered around that must've been the dead skin and organs. I felt my stomach heave as I stared at that remains of a person I killed. I tried to hold it in-this wasn't the time to share my last meal with everyone here.

I was about to stand up when I felt Amber's worried scream enter my head.

_Jonathan! Watch-_

Something big and sharp smashed into the back of my head. The last thing I felt was the stinging sensation of blood flowing into my eyes.

And then it all went black.


	41. Chapter 40: Alive

40. Alive

A pounding sensation vibrated through my head, making it harder than normal to try to focus on my surroundings. I didn't know what other part of me was in pain because of the headache, and I didn't even remember where I was at the moment. The throbbing overtook all thought processes and secluded me to a dim knowledge of knowing that something wasn't right.

I didn't know how long I was…wherever I was. I had no other sense beyond my head. It could've been seconds, minutes, hours, or even days that I was in that same spot. Anything could've been happening, but what? Where was I? Who was I with? I vaguely even remembered my own name. Nothing could break past the barrier of my own pain. My head felt like I had been stomped on by an element and then landed on by a jet. Possibly set on fire as well.

Racking my brain didn't help. It was like there was a wall hindering me from seeing what I was so desperate to see. I felt so trapped and isolated. The feeling of nothing was scarier than the idea that I was dying. And least if I was dead I would be somewhere or just simply not be. This was excruciating to not understand, to just be floating somewhere in my head. Did I even exist anymore?

A vibration hit my ears, surprising me by the sudden extra sense besides just the pain. It caught me off guard so much that I was too elated to feel something else that I forgot to read what this vibration meant. In turn, I didn't get to hear what might've been the last words ever said to me.

I didn't need to worry about that, though, seeing as my senses returned with the continual ebbing of the pain. Pretty soon I could feel my fingers and my toes. There was warmth in my chest where my heart was…along with chest pain. Each breath felt ragged and forced, but I was breathing. There was a sharp pang in my side, so I was positive I had a broken rib. Other than that, I was fine. At least I thought I was.

When I opened my eyes, light pierced my sight with a painful sting. It took a few minutes for my brain to sort through all the signals my nervous system was sending it, but I finally put all the blurs together in a coherent picture.

"Jonathan." A female voice breathed in relief. Warm hands cupped my face and brought my head up to her chest, cradling me. "I was so worried."

I opened my eyes to see my mother, holding me close to her chest. Her hair was tangled and ragged, but she looked normal. She looked exhausted. I was about to ask her what happened to her when she brushed the hair away from my face and looked deeply into my eyes. As she pulled her hand away, I noticed blood was caked to her fingers.

I grabbed her wrist, furious. "What happened? You're hurt?"

Claire gave me the weirdest expression. Concern wrinkled her forehead. "Jon…" she drew my name out slowly. "The blood is yours. You were hit in the head, remember?"

I shook my head in disbelief. "That's imposs-" I touched my head which was drenched in sweat and covered with a thick liquid I could only determine as blood. "Hit in the head?" I asked.

She pressed her hand to my cheek. "You don't remember do you?"

"How's he doing?" Jason asked, squatting next to me. He took his finger under my chin and took a look at me. "Not too bad. The blow could've been much worse. That Vampire just hit the base of your neck, not your spine. And for that I'm thankful."

"He doesn't remember anything." Claire said quietly.

Jason merely looked at me, astounded. What had happened that was so significant?

I shrugged my shoulders. "Clearly my head was hit pretty hard. I'll remember eventually." But my own voice didn't even sound too sure.

"Think you can stand?" Jason held out his hand. I grabbed it and let him haul me up. I suppressed a moan of pain, not wanting Claire to know how much it hurt just to stand on my feet.

A few bones popped as I stretched all my limbs out. I was bruised, battered, and more than likely broken in a few places, but I was sure I could manage. As long as I didn't phase, I would be fine from any further damage. I nodded to Jason that he could let go. He released me.

Being cautiously slow, I surveyed my surroundings. We were in a meadow of some sort. Trucks and branches of trees were scattered all around on the grass…along with bodies. Lots of dead bodies. I sucked in a deep breath as a recognized one of the faces.

Ben.

I fell to my knees and clutched my chest, fearing that it might explode from the tragic pain I now felt. Ben. It all came back to me then. The meadow. The fight. The Volturi. The three Vampires who turned out to be Pryor-Wolves. It all came back with a crash and flash of light. My memory was no longer hindered, but I wished to God that I could forget everything at that moment.

Ben. I laughed with him not even 4 hours ago. He made jokes with Nick. We got into all sorts of trouble when we were home alone. He was the one who never judged me. He accepted me. One of the kindest, most sincere people in this coven now lay on the ground, dead.

I couldn't even bring myself to cry. It hurt too much. Ben was dead and there was nothing I could do about it. Maybe if I hadn't been so stupid when fighting those Pryor-Wolves, I wouldn't have been knocked out and possibly could've saved Ben. I could've been there for him. I could've done something.

"Claire." I said suddenly. Surely she could do something about it. She could save him! Her gift could bring him back! Why hadn't she done it already?

Jason shook his head quickly, reading the train of my thoughts. "She tried. It didn't work." His voice fell at the end. Claire frowned and walked away crossing her arms. Her expression was that of a person on fire.

I closed my eyes. This couldn't be happening. Ben couldn't be dead. He just _couldn't._

But he was.

"Any others?" my voice was strangled as I got the words out. I didn't really want to know, but I would have to face the music soon enough. I noticed that Amber wasn't by my side, which I knew she would be if she wasn't…I couldn't think the word.

I was already shaking my head before he said her name.

"_No."_ I moaned. She couldn't be dead. My Amber couldn't be gone. She was strong, she could fight, and she was going to live. Nothing was going to separate us again. The pain lashed at my heart. It was much more painful than when she left me. At least then I knew she was alive. Now…now she was dead.

I choked out a sob. "Where is she?" but he didn't need to tell me. I could smell her blood from over here now that I knew that I was looking for it. I followed the trail of blood that my nose sniffed out, passing more dead bodies, some I knew, some I didn't. But I didn't have time to cry out when I saw Syd's mangled corpse-I had my own mourning to do.

As soon as my eyes found her body, another wave of nausea came over me. I held it in, but my entire body felt like it was going to explode. I leaned beside her, surprised by how peaceful she was in death. She was still the same beautiful girl I found in Ohio. But now she's gone. She's not coming back this time. I leaned my head on her chest, sobs wracking through my entire body. They were so intense that I almost missed the fact that her chest moved.

Almost.

My head snapped up. Not truly believing what I just experienced. Did she really move? Was it my senses playing tricks on me? I peered at her body, this time making sure I didn't miss any fraction of a movement. And sure enough, her chest and shoulders moved ever so slightly, displaying that Amber was breathing.

I didn't even take the time to rejoice in the fact that she was still alive. I trusted my instincts and did the only thing I knew would save her.

I bit her.

* * *

Claire stood over their bodies, glancing over their perfect features. This was the last time she was ever going to see their faces, and yet, she found no remorse or even a twinge of sadness. She knew that she should-any being should regret killing, but she couldn't bring herself to feel any type of guilt. There was just nothing left to feel.

They had been her family. She had traveled hundreds of years with them, grown bonds, and shared everything with them. Now they were all dead. Claire had warned them about the mistakes they were about to make, that they were no match for her power. They still didn't believe and in the end she had betrayed them all.

And Claire had loved one of them with all her soul. She leaned down next to him, pushing his blonde hair from his eyes. She rested her hand on his cheek, wanting to feel some sort of sorrow for his death, but there was nothing in her heart to feel. Claire had loved this man. He had made her laugh, he gave her comfort, made her life have meaning, and now he was dead. They all were dead. And she had killed them all-her family, her soul mate, and the people she once cared about, but she didn't feel the guilt that should have been crushing her heart.

In fact, she was happy they all were dead.

A hand touched the small of her back, making her jump.

"Sorry." Jason apologized, chuckling softly under his breath.

Claire smiled sadly. "Jonathan doing okay?" it was a stupid question, she knew that. With Amber dead, she doubted Jonathan would even be sane for the rest of his life. The pain would kill him. She knew what it felt like to lose someone she loved.

"He's over at her body now."

She sighed. "He must be suffering." And Claire would do anything to take away her child's pain. She would pitch herself off a cliff and into Hell if it would make his Amber come back. But all she could do is comfort him.

"I can imagine." He pulled Claire closer to him, turning her so she faced him. She looked into his mossy green eyes, getting lost in the vines and branches of the forest his eyes made. The way he was looking at her, making her heart melt. She would never get over the way his smile made her heart skip a beat or how his laugh was the best lullaby she had ever heard.

He looked down and took a deep breath. He grabbed her hand and spun in over in the palm of his own hand. "Claire, I…I owe you an apology. Well, I owe you so much more than that. But you deserve so much more than I could ever give you."

"Jason-"

"No, let me finish. The day you came back, I was nothing but angry and harsh towards you. I said things to you that I wish more than anything I could take back. It brought out a side of me that I've never seen before, and I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I was so eager to fight you. I'm sorry that I attacked you verbally and physically. I'm sorry that I…killed you. I've never been so sorry in my life." Tears began to form in his eyes. "You were and are the greatest thing that happened in my entire life. From the day Sam turned into a giant wolf in front of me, to the day I asked you to marry me, to right now, standing in a meadow after the biggest battle of our lives. I've never regretted falling desperately in love with you.

"I know I've done so many things to you that would've made any other woman leave a guy like me, but you stuck by me. Despite everything I've done to hurt you, you always came back to me. You are my soul mate, the woman made for my entire being. Without you, I would be nothing. I love you, Claire Renae Emerson. I will do anything you ask to make it up to you. I just want you to keep me around a little bit longer."

Claire wanted to say so much to the guy she loved. She had so much to explain, so much to apologize for, so much to tell him, but the words caught in her throat. She couldn't find the right words to say everything she has ever felt when it came to Jason. So she chose to say the three words she knew would explain what she never could, the three most important words she had ever said in her entire life.

"I love you."

Jason smiled at her and took something small out of his pocket. He opened his palm and laying there in the center was a tiny silver band that she knew all too well. Engraved on the ring were the same words from when he first proposed to her: forever. How appropriate were those words after all they had been through? Claire could only imagine.

He slipped the ring into her left hand, the light reflecting off the diamond. She beamed at him, never feeling so happy in her life. This was all that she ever wanted, but he still didn't know the truth. Her face fell as she realized that as soon as she told him the truth, he would take all he said back.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Jason, there's still so much I have to tell you. I've lied to you. I've been so deceitful when it came to my life. You deserve so much more than what I can ever give you-"

"Claire-"

"-I lied to you about how I felt about Cody-"

"Claire-"

"-I lied to you about my death-"

"Claire-"

"-I lied to you about what's been going on-"

"Claire!" he shook her shoulders, taking her out of her moment. Claire stopped at stared at the man she loved, surprised to see that he was smiling instead of glaring at her and running away from her as fast as he could.

"Claire, I don't care about what you've done. I don't care if I never know how you pulled this entire thing off. I don't care if you don't tell me about half the things that happen in your life. Would I love to hear about you? Yes. I would love to know as much about you as I can, but I don't care about your faults. Claire, I'm the poster boy for imperfection. All that I care about is that you're safe, you're alive, and that you're with me for the rest of my existence."

He brushed the hair out of her face, putting the loose strands behind her ears. She couldn't help but notice that even after a deadly battle he was still the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He leaned down close, his sweet breath swirling in her face. "You are so beautiful, Claire. And I love you more than my own life."

"Jason, I've never loved anyone more than I've loved you."

And then he kissed her.

Jonathan came up to them, breathless and carrying the biggest smile she had ever seen. "She's alive." He laughed triumphantly. "She's alive!" and just as quickly as he came over, he was off again, sitting by Amber's still body.

Jason grabbed her hand and winked at her.

And Claire thought that she had never felt so alive either.


	42. Epilogue: Whole

Epilogue: Whole

It was 2 years after that dreadful battle that I asked Amber to marry me. And it was 6 months after that that I could finally call her my wife. Just like I wasn't a full Vampire, my venom couldn't turn her into a complete Vampire. It only made her half Witch, half Vampire. But she was completely immortal. The time in between was not all puppies and rainbows as most would assume. It had been hard to be happy when Syd and Ben wouldn't be with us anymore to make their stupid, burnt Christmas cookies, or somehow catch the living room on fire when attempting to cook a frozen turkey in cooking oil. Nothing would be able to replace their memories or take away their hurt. The only thing that cooled some of our suffering was that they went together. Neither would have to live without the other. And for that we were grateful

We found ourselves unable to burn them, though. Angel thought it more fitting to just bury them. To burn them would be like erasing that they ever existed. They were our family, and they would not be forgotten.

Amber was pretty understanding about it all, but I knew it frustrated her sometimes to see me in so much agony. I pushed her away whenever she tried to comfort me, refusing to admit that I was weak. It was her anger that brought me from my bottomless pit.

She slapped me.

"What the hell, Amber?" my anger was enough to make her stagger back, but she raised her shoulders and set her jaw in defiance. She was strong enough to take me with her spells that were infused with the strength of being a Vampire as well.

"Look, you can be upset about their deaths. I understand that they were family, but you can't do this to yourself again. You did the same when your mom died. You cut yourself off from everyone else. You cut yourself off from _me._ Now I love you more than my own life, Jon, but I," she paused, her face looking downcast and sad. She slipped the ring from her finger and set it on the table, "I can't marry this version of you. I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore."

I looked at her, prepared to call her bluff, but when I saw the extreme sadness in her gaze, I knew she wasn't lying. The fear of losing her again shocked me out of my state. As she turned to leave, accepting my silence as her command to go, I reached for her hand. She looked at me, ready to tell me again that her choice was made, but I supposed that something in my eyes stopped her.

"I'm trying." My voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry."

I opened my arms, and she willingly rushed to them, sighing in the comfort of my embrace. I closed my eyes, my heart starting to beat again at the loving touch between us. It had been too long since we had touched this way. It had been to long since we last kissed. She's been through so much.

"I'll never hurt you again." I vowed to her. "From now on, you will get nothing less than what you deserve." I gazed deeply into her chocolate-speckled eyes so I knew that she was taking me seriously. "I need you, Amber Bay. I don't know if I could ever live without you again." I pressed my hand to her cheek.

"I love you," she told me softly.

"As I love you."

We made amends after that, and our relationship had never been stronger. I mean, after all we had been through, it would be a shame for it to die merely because we fought to save each other.

Taylor continually asked Claire about her choices in how this all happened. She pressed and pressed, but each time Jason held his hand up to stop her. He defended Claire more than anybody. He let no one bad-mouth her while they were in the house. Sooner or later everyone stopped asking about Claire's mistakes. When Claire was ready to speak about the past, she would.

Eventually she did tell us about why she had done everything. She needed to fool Cody just enough so she could betray him and thus never let him hurt her family again. She even spilled all of her lies she ever told-the lies about Cody, about how she was made, and the lie that she didn't like the taste of animal blood. She explained about the lies of her death and tried to show how she only did this for us. She couldn't lose her family. I suppose she expected every to shout at her because she took a step back and cast her eyes downward.

But the opposite happened.

"You forgot to say the part where Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny don't exist." Nick said, breaking the palpable tension.

"I have something." I said suddenly, bolting to my room and grabbing a picture under my pillow, that same picture I kept from the night Jason proposed to Claire.

I returned the picture to them, Claire's face lighting up as she recognized the moment.

"That was some night." She said lovingly, leaning her head on Jason's shoulder.

"The night it all began." Jason remarked in the same tone, his face so full of love and emotion that it felt rude to stare at them.

Jason and Claire were…perfect together for lack of better words. The way he looked at her reminded me of the old stories he used to tell me. He always held her hand, kissed her cheek, and held her in his arms. I saw what true love looked like, that is until I looked at my own beautiful girl, sleeping delicately in my arms. I had my parents back, and they were in love. I don't know how life got more…more what? What was the word I was looking for? Oh yeah.

Whole.

* * *

It was 3 years after I married Amber that she gave birth to the two most beautiful twins I had ever seen in my life, and I had seen some pretty babies. One was a girl, and one was a boy. Both had stolen my heart as quickly as I had seen them.

"Josie." She said sweetly, holding the girl in her arms while I latched on to the boy. "Josie and Joshua. That's what I want their names to be."

"Joshua." I breathed. As if in response to his name, he opened his eyes to reveal the most beautiful shade of blue I knew all too well: my eyes.

Claire's eyes.

* * *

They grew so quickly. It was like they changed in front of my very eyes, but I'm sure every parent thinks that of their children. I was even surprised that Amber could get pregnant, but she was only half Vampire, so I supposed that she was able. Everything else had happened in this family; why not have little Witch-Vampires running around? The joy of this was that they would live forever with us, never aging a day over 18 when they were full grown. We had lost two in our family, but we had also gained two more. Our family was growing, changing into something more than it was.

Joshua was the spitting image of his mother. A round face with high cheekbones held the proud attitude of that which is Amber. He had short, brown hair and a small nose. He was muscularly built like I was, and he had my eyes, but the resemblance stopped there. He was more like Amber than Amber was sometimes. He had the same witty remarks, the same dazzling smile, and the same capacity to love as she did. He played basketball with Jason and I in high school, but he found his true calling in playing football. He was the best linebacker in every school he went in: he never missed a tackle.

Josie was…well she was Josie. While Joshua looked like Amber, Josie was more like me. She had the most beautiful green eyes that I came to realize looked like Jason's. Amber used to joke about not one of her kids having her eye color. She was kidding mostly. I think, at least. She had long, blonde hair that shimmered whenever she moved. She was so graceful and poise, but she had the tenderest heart that never allowed her to be conceited with herself. Josie took up volleyball like her mother, showing more passion for a sport than I ever thought possible. She inherited her mother's brains, but my sarcastic attitude. She became more like me every day, and for that I couldn't be more proud.

But I think they were more like me in one aspect in life than any other: they fell in love with the creatures they were supposed to avoid.

I remember the day they came to me, both on the same day with the same news. Both of them are long gone-married to the people they fell for and creating new families and covens as time pass. The species of half human and half Vampire was just as common in the world as purebreds. I guess we have Edward and Bella to thank for starting it all.

Anyway, back to Josie and Joshua. I remember the look on their faces and Josie grabbed my hand and towed me to the kitchen while Joshua took Amber to the living room. While we were all in separate rooms of the house, I could hear the conversion between my wife and my son.

We both asked them what has gotten them so excited. They both looked down and said the exact same thing, minus one word.

"Well, it all started with this girl."

"Well, it all started with this guy."

I smiled at my daughter, not really sure about what I should say.

I remember Amber's chuckle inside my head as she spoke in my mind.

_Here we go again._

With an internal sigh, I agreed with her.

_Remember when we fell in love?_ I could almost hear her smile and feel her wink.

_My dear Amber, when have I forgotten anything?_

The End.

_**I would like to thank everyone who has stuck by this story. I know most of you have been so confused about everything, but it makes me so happy to see that some are still so into this story. When I began writing as Claire, I had no idea that my short tale would take this turn. I never thought there would be a Jonathan or Amber. I guess my hands just have a mind of their own as I type.**_

_**Every review that I've gotten has kept me going. Sometimes I think I post more chapters just because I want to hear what all of you think. Sometimes I laugh about how serious you all are about what happens to my characters. So, thanks for it all. I wrote this for you guys, and mostly to keep myself from going insane from boredom.**_

_**I'm sad this story is over. I've been writing this for years, and I find myself reluctant to let go of the people I've made. But hey, you never know. I might have a few more adventures for Jason and Claire, or Jonathan and Amber up my sleeves. But for now, I think I'm done with them. Don't worry though; I have more stories ready for you to fall in love with.**_

_**Thanks. I mean it.**_

_**-Kait**_


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